Judge Blocks Shasta County Election Measure

A Northern California county’s election measure, which aimed to reshape voting processes, has been halted by a judge. Shasta County Superior Court Judge Benjamin L. Hanna issued a preliminary injunction against Measure B, approved by 56% of voters in June. The measure sought to eliminate most voting by mail and required hand-counted ballots.

For the November general election, the measure will not be enforced. All registered voters in Shasta County will receive mail ballots, adhering to state laws.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber sued the county, arguing Measure B violated state election laws. The 3rd District Court of Appeal initially declined to review the case, recommending it proceed through the trial court first.

“Allowing Measure B to proceed would likely disenfranchise many eligible voters,” Judge Hanna wrote. He noted the measure would have required new voter rolls and re-registration in an unfeasibly short time.

Secretary Weber stated that the judge’s decision highlighted the negative impact of creating barriers to voting. Meanwhile, the Shasta Election Task Force, creators of the initiative, insisted the state had no lawful basis to block voter-approved reforms.

Tensions in Shasta County arise amidst former President Trump’s calls to nationalize state elections and restrict mail voting, fueled by unsubstantiated claims of election fraud. Measure B gained traction in this context. The June primary saw slow vote counting, attributed to the extensive process required for millions of mail ballots. In response, the state allocated $40 million to speed up counting.

Measure B sought to limit mail voting to specific groups, required in-person voting on a set date, and demanded a new, separate county voter registration system. It also mandated photo identification for voting. The measure faced criticism from civil and voting rights groups who warned of voter disenfranchisement.

Supporters of Measure B, including Richard Gallardo of Save Shasta Elections, anticipated legal challenges. Gallardo emphasized the measure represented local electoral reform.

Shasta County’s election practices have been contentious, partly due to unfounded fraud claims. In 2023, the Board of Supervisors decided to hand-count votes, rejecting Dominion voting machines. New state laws quickly prohibited such actions. Recently, there have been leadership changes in the registrar’s office, influenced by the stress and controversy surrounding election processes.

Clint Curtis, appointed as registrar in the wake of contested elections, reduced ballot drop boxes and claimed without evidence that his predecessors sabotaged ballots. He was subsequently voted out and will be replaced by Joanna Francescut, his former assistant, in January.