Shasta County, along with other counties in California’s District 1, faces a tight deadline to certify election results by June 11, 2026. This accelerated timeline is due to a special election to fill the remainder of the late Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s term, which concludes in January 2027.

The June 2 election in Shasta County included not only the special election but also a regular primary election to determine congressional representation for the next two-year term, as well as other local and statewide issues. Typically, the deadline for certifying results from the regular statewide primary would be July 2. However, the inclusion of the special election on the same ballot has pushed the certification deadline forward for District 1, including Shasta County.

Anna Rodriguez, the election manager, confirmed the need to meet the expedited timeline. She stated, “Because [the special election votes] are on the ballot with everything else, that means we do have to get everything in the pot in order to certify that special election.” Rodriguez expressed determination to meet the deadline, although it remains unclear whether the regular primary election items must also be certified by June 11.

As of now, the election results are preliminary, with many ballots still to be counted. James Gallagher, the current representative for California’s District 3, is projected to win the special election with nearly 63% of the vote district-wide. If a candidate secures more than 50% of the votes in the special primary election, the special general election scheduled for August 4 will be canceled. Given Gallagher’s lead, it appears likely that he will serve the remainder of LaMalfa’s term without the need for an August election.

Original reporting: Shasta Scout (Redding) — read the source article.