In a county focused on local control, two outsiders are now running elections
This spring, Shasta County supervisors appointed a Florida-based defense attorney to run county elections. He’s just hired Brent Turner, who is from San Francisco, as his right hand man. They’re united by a distrust of California’s current machine voting systems but say they’re committed to following state law, which requires their use.
In January 2023, a Bay area local named Brent Turner reached out to Shasta Scout by phone with a promise to provide the “greatest story that’s never been written” about elections. He wanted to talk about something called open source voting, an alternative to the machine systems California currently uses.
Turner had just learned about Shasta County’s decision to end the county’s contract with Dominion Voting Systems, Inc. and referred to the decision as an “act of bravery.” He said former supervisor Patrick Jones, who spearheaded that decision, was “with the science” when it came to California-certified voting machines which Turner also believes cannot be trusted.
Last month, Shasta County’s newly appointed election official, Clint Curtis, hired Turner to help run the local election office. The new Assistant Registrar of Voters (ROV) says he has worked in a number of fields including real estate and has been focused on elections for the last twenty-five years.
Turner replaces long-term Assistant ROV Joanna Francescut, who was terminated by Curtis shortly after he was appointed. The new ROV did not post a job listing or follow a competitive process before hiring Turner, something that Shasta County Support Services Director Monica Fugitt said is allowed for at-will employees, citing the county’s personnel manual.
While Curtis unfailingly appears in public in a blue suit and tie, Turner prefers a more casual approach, showing up for his interview in jeans and a black button down. But he and Curtis have other, more important, things in common: they’re both new to Shasta County, distrustful of voting machines, and have never before worked in an election office.
A review of the job description for the position, which pays about $90,000 annually, indicates that the role requires “knowledge of the principles and practices of county clerk and elections management.” Those are things that neither Turner nor Curtis has any direct past experience with. But Turner says that between himself and Curtis, he believes there is as much institutional and literal election system knowledge as needed.
“And what we don’t know from a perspective of the actual clerk operations,” Turner said, “we can study up very quickly.”
Asked about staff turnover since Curtis took charge, Turner didn’t provide any numbers. But he said from his perspective things are stable at the election office.
“My first goal coming in was to make sure that the office, to my eye, was stable and functional,” he continued. “And it certainly is. The public should know we are not suffering any lack of ability or staffing. Naturally, we’ll be hiring going into the election season, but we’re not struggling.”
At the moment, Turner said he’s focused on building rapport with staff who’ve transitioned through three changes in leadership over the past few years. Quoting Curtis’ promise to “tear down the wall” to increase transparency, Turner said while he supports that focus he is also intent on ensuring a level of security that helps staff feel safe.
Morale is currently good, Turner said, but he plans on ongoing conversations to allow staff to air any grievances, concerns and requests and get them addressed so the department can move forward.
He said he wants to have similar conversations with voters across Shasta’s ideological spectrum to build relationships, educate, and create connections.
Similar distrust, different solutions
Curtis and Turner share a common distrust of California’s three certified voting machine systems but their perspectives diverge when it comes to best solutions to the problem.
Curtis did not respond to two requests for comment for this story. “I think the press has been a little, you know, not necessarily favorable toward him,” Turner said, in explanation of why his supervisor might not have wanted to talk. In prior public comments, Curtis has shared his interest in hand counting as a solution to his concerns about voting machine systems like Dominion.
In contrast, Turner is an advocate for something known as open-source voting, a machine-based system that’s gained some traction in the United States and which uses publicly-accessible code, rather than the proprietary code used by the three voting machine systems California currently certifies. It’s an approach that can provide the public with a means of seeing inside what some refer to as “the black box” of election machines, although to the average user, the code is long and unintelligible enough to be of little use.
According to reporting by the MIT Technology Review, the same kind of open source software (OSS) that is powering voting machines in a few small jurisdictions in the United States is already ubiquitous in many other settings. It’s used to power some operating systems and internet browsers and also by the Department of Defense. Open source code can be hacked, but so can proprietary code, and with open source, the public is able to examine the code to find issues, MIT says.
Importantly, open source voting systems, like hand counting, are not currently legal in California which has approved the use of only three certified voting systems including Dominion and the county’s new vendor, Hart InterCivic. Launching open source voting in Shasta would require first convincing the state of California to certify a system like Voting Works, a process that would likely take years and is not in the county’s control.
Since hand counting ballots isn’t legal, Curtis plans to continue to use voting machines in Shasta while implementing hand-counting and filming processes alongside. Turner supports this, particularly the idea of using cameras to film the ballot counting process, something which he says, “everybody wants.”
Asked how he’d respond to people who have concerns about privacy issues that may arise while filming ballots, Turner said he and Curtis will not allow people’s personal information to fall into the hands of someone that could abuse it saying that steps will be taken to ensure appropriate privacy of ballots is maintained during filming.
Turner also backs Curtis’ plan to utilize volunteers throughout election processes, saying the California Secretary of State’s office encourages it. Importantly, Jim Patrick, a Secretary of State spokesperson told Shasta Scout last month that the use of volunteers for some things, like ballot processing, could create voter intimidation issues. Questioned on that issue, Turner said that of course the department will put procedures in place to make sure volunteers who touch ballots have a certain standard of training.
Over recent years Shasta has faced a sharp ideological divide when it comes to elections. While a group of local activists has repeatedly cast doubt on the integrity of Shasta’s election process, many other vocal community members disagree. That divide has showed up in public outcry over both Curtis’ hiring and the termination of Turner’s predecessor, Francescut.
But Turner said he doesn’t want to humor the idea that political divides are a concern when it comes to elections, insisting that people on both sides are pro-democracy patriots who can come together on this issue.
“I’m Pollyannaish enough to believe I can go speak to these people that are so upset and see what it is that is really bugging them,” Turner said, “and how we can maybe get past it.”
“I got to go into this believing that it is accomplishable… I’m looking forward to speaking to the most upset people I can find. The ones that are super duper upset,” he said. “I want to start with [super duper], and then we’ll go to super upset, and then just upset, and then… everybody else. And I’m looking forward to these conversations.”
7.21.25: We have updated the article to clarify Turner’s reference to the Secretary of State’s Office and the use of volunteers in election processes.
Do you have a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.
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I’m still waiting for our election deniers who distrust voting machines to explain how Donald Trump won the vote in Shasta County in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Scout, thank you for the article. Turner stated, “he wants to have similar conversations with voters across Shasta’s ideological spectrum to build relationships, educate, and create connections.” And he has. From C. Curtis, P. Plum, K. Crye, Kelsrorm, Corkey, P. Jones, N.C.S./SOJ, L. Hobbs, and C. Street, the ideological “spectrum.” This spectrum includes local, statewide, and national far-right extremism attacks on our democratic voting system. Their strategy relies on proven lies and conspiracy theories, which have been found repeatedly in over 100 courts of law to be illegal, or in Hobbs’ case, four times. Quoting Jones, “This May Be the Case That Changes the Whole Country,” Shasta Scout, October 2023. The extreme far-right strategy involves hand-counting ballots, using cameras to film ballots, implementing same-day voting, eliminating mail and electronic voting, ending early voting, and granting access to change voter rolls. Perhaps the above is waiting for convicted criminal Trump, who falsely claimed that U.S. elections are “extremely dishonest… if I ran with an honest vote counter in California, I would win California.” Mr. Turner and Curtis, the truth is out; you are exposed as far-right extremist election deniers, and you are wrong. Not “everybody wants” what you want to do to our elections.
Christian: I’m not so sure you have Mr. Turner’s politics correct. You might want to meet with him and ask some questions before making assumptions.
Thank you, Annelise, for the suggestion about Mr. Turner. A potential issue might be that Mr. Turner is not or won’t be honest or transparent, but I’ll see. Quoting Mr. Turner in your excellent article, “Turner said he doesn’t want to humor the idea that political divides are a concern when it comes to elections, insisting that people on both sides are pro-democracy patriots who can come together on this issue.” Well, really? That’s nice, I guess, but politics are a HUGE political divide, here in Shasat County, and our ROV department. Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent creating and growing the extreme right political divide and fight against democracy! Mr. Truner seems to have aligned himself with one side, for a fact. I’m stating that realpolitik suggests Turner would NOT have been chosen (without any other calls for applications) if Turner had NOT been adjacent to Curtis. We do not know that Truner replaced Joanna Francescut, a Safe and Sane Republican. She was QUICKLY replaced because she was not in alignment with the extreme-far-right power that be. But, I’ll ask for a meeting and let you know… Thanks for Shasat Scout’s excellent work for our community!
CG- Glad to meet with you anytime !! Call my office for an appt- Also- Check out ” The Real Activist” doc on Amazon / Prime– Best- BT
Hobbs told me that the judge refused to admit election fraud affidavits from Hobbs, as evidence. Individuals who witnessed election fraud and wrote and signed affidavits as evidence to this affect were themselves denied; by the judge.
Elizabeth, what is and isn’t admitted as evidence has to do with the rules of the court. In the case of the affidavits in the latest lawsuit, the case was largely thrown out early on because it asked for things not within the court’s jurisdiction.
The State will descend on them like locusts in the day of the Philistine and pick thier bones clean. Next Registrar of Voter please take your seat.
Please let’s all start using our real names to enter the conversation ? That makes for less flames..
I see lawsuits on the horizon. Since there has never been ANY verified election interference in our elections, I continue to be baffled about why we would allow people with no election experience to run our elections while implementing their own hair-brained ideas of “transparency” that seem bound to violate the privacy and accuracy that are supposed to be hallmarks of our elections. I just hope that, somehow, their ineptitude is prevented from disenfranchising Shasta County voters.
We shouldn’t be surprised that the unqualified County Cletk hired an unqualified assistant.
How did we manage to hold elections for so many years without all of the drama of recent years?
I’m so happy to see all these “hard no” poll workers back out! This is exactly what is needed! It’s a form of “term limits” the system should be more like jury duty with a little more discretion towards voting
Filming the handling of the ballots for the very first time leaves the field wide open for a mistake to happen and a voters privacy to be violated. Once it’s out there, there’s no taking it back. Maybe I don’t understand the process, but this is a huge concern for me.
Why is it such a private situation? Everybody knows how everybody votes anyway for the most part. The only people that try to keep a secret are Democrats ?? they’re embarrassed!!!
Jon: Ensuring privacy in elections is viewed as a cornerstone of democracy. It’s also the law. Learn more here: https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12389
Young lady, I’ve been voting before you were born.. All I’m saying is that most people know how their friends and their families vote.
Apparetnly after all of your years of voting you still don’t know that a secret ballot is a federal law, is in the California constitution and is a centuries old United States tradidion which is why we have voting booths. One of the principals of democracies around the world.
Jon, just because you are old doesn’t mean you are right – or have any special insight into this particular topic. And addressing a professional as “young lady” is frankly disrespectful.
I love this team of Clint Curtis and Brent Turner working has our ROV.
It’s called “Toransparency in our elections at it’s finest”.
Who in their right mind doesn’t want transparency in our elections? Duh!
These guys are Making America Great Again!
And who in their right mind doesn’t want to Make America Great Again! Duh !
Happy: It does not seem particularly transparent that Curtis has been refusing to speak to reporters. I can understand that he may not be able to answer every question. Sometimes he may say no comment because a comment is not needed or appropriate. But to not even take a call or speak in person to reporters seems less than open. Thoughts?
Annelise,
My thoughts are Curtis and his ROV team are not ready to give full disclosures of their strategy to reporters at the moment.
I know you won’t give up asking questions. Keep trying to collect the information and please let us citizens know.
Annalise,
You are not a journalist. You are an activist trying to spin a narrative. It is very obvious.
Mary: What narrative did I try to spin here?
Yo, Brent Turner did you hear that? Nick Gardner thinks that you are maga
Yo Nick, we don’t want voter intimidation in our elections.
This might be beyond the scope of Shasta Scout, but at one point LA County had what was touted as an open-source system, which was certified by the state. I wonder why it hasn’t spread.
https://www.sos.ca.gov/administration/news-releases-and-advisories/2018-news-releases-and-advisories/secretary-state-alex-padilla-certifies-los-angeles-countys-new-vote-tally-system-making-it-californias-first-certified-open-sour
Maybe because it’s not actually that great.
Jay.
The L A. open source voting project imploded after the county burned through 300 million dollars and then ended up with a system that is NOT an open source voting system per the DOD and OSI
Okay Brent.
Yeah…
It’s about local control
I feel sorry for you. If you are truthful about your intents, you have a lot of hard work ahead of you.
Ohhhh….looks like you’re tuning into local online media. Hope you’re seeing the real responses that we, the majority of sane and civil voters, will not put up with your ‘no experience’ voter methodology. And please get a little class and put on some slacks and a dress shirt, at least look like you came from San Francisco. Just because you’ve read lots of stories about voting over the years, doesn’t mean you’re up to speed on the SOS and current election codes and laws. Would you submit to a written exam on such ?
C’mon Frank- Let’s not talk about my fashion sense. I WAS wearing a suit with no jacket btw.. Not jeans.. But I digress. Trust me I do the best I can with fashion- but I’m always hopeful for more meaningful conversation regarding election tech at your request.. Again the picture only showed my shirt and you jumped to conclusion. I don’t mind taking criticism about my lack of acumen and intellect, but I do reject critique regarding my attire.. ha ha Call my scheduler and let’s talk about all this !!
I stopped being a poll worker when they told me that I alone was responsible for my safety while volunteering. They wanted the volunteers to tell the people in the MAGA hats that they had to remove them before they could vote. A great way to get shot, I rapidly presumed, so exit stage left…
Oh lordy! I wonder if it’s possible to vote in a jurisdiction other than the one in which a person resides. Given my political inclinations I’m not confident that my vote will be counted correctly given the gentlemen running the county clerk’s office. Sheesh.
Well, Brent ‘Super Duper’ Turner, hear this…I bet you a milkshake at Damburger that you and your boss will be facing a lawsuit if you go through with any photo taking of ballots, regardless of your ‘so-called’ protective measures. Your alleged supporters are a mere handful of election deniers, compared to those sane and sensible voters who will vote CC out on June 2, 2026. You won’t even be able to afford a closet in San Francisco.
You didn’t complete the sentence. It should end with, For all your brown shirts!
It’s a hard NO for a volunteer to handle my ballot as there is a greater than 60% chance that they will be MAGA cultists planted to be deceitful.
“Local control” really means authoritative control, and there is nothing local about it.
Yeah right. Do you really trust Gallardo and his merry band of extremists? Hell no! He’ll be trying to “source” voter info in order to intimidate and harass like his boss Crye intimidates and harasses. Curtis is beholden to, and takes his orders from, Crye. The new guy with zero experience provides a hiding place for Curtis from accountability.
Yeah, still a hard “No” when it comes to me returning as a poll worker while these 2 no-nothing clowns are in charge. I’ll be waiting to see what happens in the 2026 election.
I won’t be returning as a poll worker
Wow, weird, it’s almost like “local control” has always been a code word for “white supremacy” and “local corruption.”