A legal document in support of California’s lawsuit against Measure B was filed last week. Advocates say implementation of Shasta's new election law would disenfranchise voters.
Business owner and former Caltrans employee Christina Prosperi and incumbent council member Jack Munns have filed for candidacy for the November election, along with planning commissioner and engineer Russ Wenham. Council member Tenessa Audette said she’d also be running for reelection.
In a surprise announcement, Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis shared the news during an interview yesterday. Curtis fired Francescut from the same position last year. His current assistant ROV hasn’t confirmed plans to vacate the role.
The state’s lawsuit against the county was initially filed in appellate court, in what the state said was an attempt to expedite a ruling. After the court determined the suit should be considered in trial court first, it was refiled yesterday, here in Shasta.
A California appeals court has declined to hear the merits of the case against Measure B, saying the state should refile in another venue. With the midterms only months away, the attorney general’s office said it plans to move quickly.
At a recent board meeting, election activists — some of whom now work for the county elections office — alleged fraud on statewide voter rolls, demanding that Shasta’s election official not certify the vote. Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis told a reporter yesterday he’ll certify the vote unless a court order tells him otherwise.
Supervisors expressed conflicting perspectives on the idea of censure during today’s brief discussion. The board plans to reconsider whether to issue a formal rebuke against the county’s top elections official in July.
Russ Wenham has served on the city’s planning commission for about two years and previously spent over two decades working for CalTrans. There are three spots on the city council up for election in November.
Two years ago, dual ballot measures related to land rights and filing midterm vacancies both failed to gain the 50% of votes needed to pass. Supervisor Kevin Crye wants to try again. He may have enough support to do so.
Shasta’s board voted today to let the state’s lawsuit against the county take its course, without waging a defense. California sued Shasta over Measure B last week just days after it was approved by 56% of voters. The measure would change local election procedures in multiple ways that defy statewide laws.
