Full Breakdown
Shasta County Primary Election Delays, Clerk Race, and Measure B Controversy
6/6/2026, 2:18:54 AM
Election Delays
Over 36 hours after the June 2 primary, Shasta County posted under 2 percent of precinct results, while neighboring counties posted nearly all. Officials expected a first update at 6 p.m. Thursday. The ballot also includes a seat for the late Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s 1st district and several close local races.
Measure B, Election Denial, and Key Players
Measure B, backed by Shasta Election Reform, would amend the charter to require hand-counting, in-person voting, and voter ID—requirements California courts have previously struck down, creating legal uncertainty. Registrar Clint Curtis, appointed in 2025 despite no election-admin experience and a recent Florida residence, promotes the initiative while aligning with 2020 election deniers, cutting drop boxes, and accusing officials of ballot-stuffing. He fired Assistant Registrar Joanna Francescut, who sued for wrongful termination and now leads with roughly 56 percent.
Vote Totals
21,054 clerk votes were counted: Francescut 11,876 (56.41 %) versus Curtis 9,178. Measure B recorded 21,878 votes, with 12,171 (55.63 %). In District 1 supervisor, Erin Resner leads with 2,192 votes (53.82 %); in District 5, Mike Gallagher trails at 1,955 votes (48.88 %). No supervisor candidate has yet reached 50 % + 1, so a November runoff is expected.
Official Statements, Criticism & Opposition
Turner blamed a power outage, stressed accuracy over speed, called the device a flashlight, and said Curtis would not cling to power like Trump. The Attorney General’s office said it is monitoring Measure B and will enforce state election law. Assembly Elections Committee Chair Gail Pellerin said the incident could prompt a ban on stun-gun-type devices in polling places. Shasta Scout editor Annelise Pierce reported a worker activated a stun-gun-like device, raising safety concerns. Critics argue Measure B conflicts with state law and could be invalidated, citing a Huntington Beach precedent. Curtis’s firing of Francescut and promotion of conspiracy narratives have drawn condemnation from local officials and election-integrity advocates.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Clint is a law-and-order investigator of corrupted systems,” — Brent Turner, spokesperson for Shasta County elections office
- “I think the thing most upsetting was no one took it seriously when this seemed like a safety issue,” — Annelise Pierce, editor, Shasta Scout
- “I appreciate everybody wants the fastest count possible, but … we really should desire accuracy and precision in the processing of the ballots over the desire to have a quick answer on election night.” — Brent Turner, elections spokesperson
- “We are closely monitoring the Measure B results and, if necessary, stand ready to take appropriate action to protect voters’ rights and enforce state election laws,” — California Attorney General’s office (unsigned email)
What’s Next
State courts are expected to review Measure B’s compliance with California election law. The clerk race will be certified after final mail-ballot tabulation, and runoff elections are slated for November in the supervisor contests. County officials are considering legislation to ban non-lethal weapons in polling places.
