Private voting booths inside Taylor Motors stand against a vehicle backdrop. Photo by Annelise Pierce.
It’s March 5 and Shasta County is turning out to vote in today’s Presidential Primary. We visited the polls to offer our readers insight into the local elections process, through pictures.
Redding City Hall: 9:00 am
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Assistant Shasta County Clerk and Registrar of Voters Joanna Francescutt said this ballot drop box located outside of Redding City Hall receives more ballots than any other single location in Shasta County.
This sign reminds voters that electioneering is prohibited under state law. Concerns can be reported to the Shasta County Elections Office.
A cage holds supplies for one of the two precincts at this location. A visual guide shows volunteer poll workers how to prepare items to be returned to the Elections Office after 8 pm.
Redding City Hall holds two voting precincts in at one location. Poll workers report no unusual issues at their location so far today.
Taylor Motors: 9:25 am
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Ballot boxes where votes are received arrive sealed. They’ll remain sealed until they are returned to the Shasta County Elections Office at end of day.
The Poll Inspector at this site explained that the accessible Hart InterCivic voting machines arrive sealed, as does the printer that accompanies them. Poll workers follow a set of instructions to unseal and set up the machine and printer. One step includes counting the printer paper piece-by-piece before voting begins. Paper is counted again after polls close.
Private voting booths inside Taylor Motors where voters fill out their ballots then place them in a privacy folder for election workers to drop in the ballot box under the voters’ watchful eyes.
California’s Voter Bill of Rights is posted on the door at this location.
Accessible voting includes the option for curbside voting. Signs designate where to park and how to call a poll worker to speak with you at your vehicle.
Taylor Motors, located at the corner of Cypress and Churn Creek is another polling location. Poll workers and an observer on site said no unusual concerns had been noted so far today.
Pathway Church: 10 am
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This is the digital version of the Street Roster. Voters sign in to these devices and there precinct location is immediately confirmed as correct or incorrect. If incorrect the machines tells them where to report instead and provides mapping.
StreeStreet Rosters specific to each precinct site include the names of voters registered to vote within that particular precinct. This is the paper version.
At this single precinct site there are seven different ballot versions that could be needed for voters, depending on their party/no party affiliation. Ballot types include Republican, Democratic, Green, Libertarian, Peace and Freedom, American Independent, and No Party Preference. Because today’s Shasta County ballots also include voting issues that affect four of Shasta County’s five county districts. Each districts will have its own version of the seven ballots with the relevant district issue included (or not included). That means there are a total of 35 different ballot types for this election. This is one of the complexities that has to be considered in counting procedures.
Pathway Church in Redding is another polling location. Poll workers here also reported no concerns so far today.
Recall Demonstration: 12:30 pm
One of the protestors, Cork McGowan, said the community was mostly friendly but some people did yell expletives at protestors from their vehicles as they passed.
About fifty-people, most of them seniors, gathered one block from the Shasta County Elections Office at midday to encourage voters to recall County Supervisor Kevin Crye.
A protestor stands on the corner of California and Placer holding a Recall Kevin Crye sign and an American flag. Political demonstrations and signs relevant to the current election are not allowed within 100 feet of polling places during voting. These protestors were well outside of that range.
Shasta County Elections Office: 1 pm
Crossroads Baptist Church: 3:00 pm
A ballot secrecy sleeve which is used to protect the voter’s ballot from the eyes of the poll workers as they place it into the ballot box after voting.
A map showing the location of the polling place which is in Bella Vista, within Shasta County’s District 3.
No incidents reported at the two precincts located at Crossroads Baptist Church. Polls getting busier late afternoon.
Redding Christian Fellowship: 4 pm
A volunteer from the Shasta County Women Democrats arrived with treats for poll workers while Shasta Scout was on site.
“I voted” stickers are special this year, the result of a contest that gave local students the opportunity to contribute art.
Have questions, concerns, or comments? Reach out to us: editor@shastascout.org.
Annelise Pierce is Shasta Scout’s Editor and a Community Reporter covering government accountability, civic engagement, and local religious and political movements.
The event began Friday and will continue Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Northern Valley Catholic Social Services building. Another storm system is expected to hit Redding tonight.
Not only did Ironman officials see Redding as a logistical fit for the race, but they were also struck by the impressive landscape of the region. The event is among the world’s most famous long-distance triathlons.
