Full Breakdown
Shasta County’s 2024 Ballot Shredding Plans Spark Protests and Legal Dispute
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Core Event – Shredding on October 3, 2026
On October 3, 2026, a mobile shredding truck from Hempstead Records Management began destroying ballot materials from the November 5, 2024 General Election inside the Shasta County Elections Office in Redding. The process lasted just over four hours. County deputies escorted the truck, while County Counsel Joseph Larmour and Clerk Clint Curtis monitored the operation. Protesters—more than a dozen—blocked the truck’s back entrance, shouted that Hempstead staff could face jail, and attempted to photograph the shredding. No arrests were made.
Background & Context – Retention rules and a pending public-records request
State and federal law generally require election materials to be kept for 22 months before destruction. Shasta County asserted that the retention period for the November 2024 election ended on September 5, 2024. However, a California Public Records Act (PRA) request filed in September sought voter-related records from roughly seven out of every ten ballot boxes, including chain-of-custody logs and observer records. County officials said the request tied those boxes to an outstanding PRA, prompting a temporary halt to the shredding.
Timeline
- September 5, 2024 (occurred): County says retention period for 2024 election ended.
- September 30, 2026 (scheduled): Curtis scheduled to open the secured ballot storage room, intending to begin shredding.
- October 3, 2026 (occurred): Mobile shredding truck operates; protesters intervene; shredding completes after four hours.
Data & Statistics
- Thousands of boxes of ballot material were unpacked.
- Approximately 70 % of boxes contained records believed to be subject to the PRA request.
- The shredding operation lasted just over four hours.
Official Statements & Responses
- Clint Curtis, Clerk and Registrar of Voters: After discovering the PRA-related records, he halted the shred on September 30 and said he would seek guidance from the Secretary of State. He later confirmed the October 3 shredding would proceed.
- Joseph Larmour, County Counsel: Directed deputies to keep protesters away from confidential material and later advised that the materials could still be destroyed.
Criticism & Opposition
Protesters, including self-identified election-staff activist Laura Hobbs, argued that the shredding violated transparency obligations. County deputies were instructed to keep observers from photographing confidential material. A local judge denied a temporary restraining order sought by Curtis supporters, allowing the shredding to continue.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The county claims the retention deadline passed on September 5, yet state and federal statutes typically require a 22-month retention period, which would extend beyond that date.
- No court order has been issued permitting the records to be retained beyond the required period, leaving the legal status of the PRA-tied boxes unresolved.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We're just going to have to stop it for now and see what the direction is from the Secretary of State as to how they want us to go through here,” — Voters Clint Curtis
- “If they kick it back down to him, then the process — well, it's shredded,” — Voters Clint Curtis
What’s Next
County officials have not announced a new date for any further shredding attempts. Curtis indicated he will await further direction from the Secretary of State before proceeding with any additional destruction of the 2024 election materials.