Key facts
- Shasta County, California voters approved Measure B, which aims to end mail-in voting.
- The measure mandates in-person voting on a single day, requiring photo ID and a hand count.
- Approximately 85% of Shasta County residents currently vote by mail.
- Civil liberties groups and the California Attorney General's office indicate the measure may violate state law.
- The county has experienced significant election-related disputes since 2020.
- Clint Curtis, a supporter of Measure B, was recently ousted as registrar of voters.
Voters in Shasta County, California, have approved Measure B, a ballot initiative that would effectively end mail-in voting in the conservative rural county. The measure requires elections to be conducted in person on a single day, mandates photo identification for voters, and calls for a hand count of all ballots. This move comes amid a broader trend of election skepticism and challenges to voting procedures in the county since the 2020 presidential election.
Supporters of Measure B, including former registrar of voters Clint Curtis, believe it will enhance election security. However, critics, such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and the League of Women Voters, argue that the measure significantly hinders access to voting, as approximately 85% of county residents currently cast their ballots by mail. These groups contend that Measure B violates existing state election laws and could lead to costly litigation.
The California attorney general's office has stated it is closely monitoring the situation and is prepared to take action to uphold state election laws. The county's governing body previously severed ties with Dominion Voting Systems in 2023, and attempts to implement a hand-count system were previously thwarted by state legislation. Despite these challenges, Measure B's passage represents a victory for local activists advocating for stricter voting measures.
In a related development, Donald Trump has accused California of election rigging without evidence. The U.S. Justice Department has also deployed a federal prosecutor to observe ballot processing in Los Angeles, and federal authorities are reportedly conducting multiple election fraud investigations. Meanwhile, Clint Curtis, who supported Measure B, was recently ousted as Shasta County's registrar of voters by Joanna Francescut, who has extensive prior experience in the office.