Shasta County election officials reported a series of operational setbacks that delayed the release of final vote totals on Tuesday. Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis told reporters the county’s night‑time counting team did not finish until after 8 a.m., well past the usual 2 a.m. deadline.
Staffing gaps and procedural changes
Curtis said the lack of a seasoned second‑in‑command contributed to the delays. “Who cares? It’s my last election anyway,” he remarked, adding that a more experienced deputy could have helped manage the workload.
Part‑time staffer Michele Tyson served as the mid‑level manager for the operational side of the election, but Curtis indicated she was assigned to duties typically handled by extra help staff rather than her area of expertise. The shift left dozens of workers and observers waiting for guidance, extending the time needed to process ballots.
Technical hiccups and ballot‑sorting process
Technical issues also slowed the count. No backup of the computer hard drive was made before vote totals were released, a step required to print official results. Additionally, ballots were mislabeled in the system, forcing staff to restart and relabel files before processing could continue.
Earlier this year, Curtis introduced a new “poll closer” system, assigning paid staffers to sort ballots at precincts before transport to the elections office. The intent was to check for stray marks or damage and prepare ballots for machine insertion. Curtis admitted the process fell short, with many ballots arriving at the office not ready for tabulation.
Drop‑box overflow at Redding City Hall
Another challenge was the overflowing ballot drop box at Redding City Hall. By mid‑afternoon, Curtis and his team were emptying the box every thirty minutes to keep it usable. The county had removed most drop boxes last year, citing security concerns, and Curtis said he saw no direct link between that decision and the high volume of ballots dropped at the city hall location.
Voters reported long lines on Athens Avenue as they waited to deposit their ballots by car. Curtis was on site during the final hour of Election Day, a time he normally would have spent preparing the computer for tabulation releases.
Responses from staff and observers
Election manager Anna Rodriguez handed out the final vote counts after the extended counting period. Long‑time elections office manager Anna Rodriguez returned from unpaid leave just before the election to assist with ballot processing, but Curtis reportedly told her her help was not needed for that role.
Election activist Laura Hobbs, who has previously sued the county over election‑management claims, congratulated Curtis, saying, “Another successful election.”
Looking ahead
When asked whether inadequate training or unclear instructions contributed to the problems, Curtis said he was unsure but suspected sabotage, noting, “It looked like some people were intentionally trying to mess it up.”
Curtis had campaigned in early 2025 on promises to deliver fast, transparent results and restore community trust. Nineteen months later, the latest election highlights significant gaps in meeting those goals.
Original reporting: Shasta Scout (Redding) — read the source article.
