UCLA Voting Rights Project Asks for Removal of Shasta Co. Elections Chief Ahead of Midterms
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alberto Lammers, alammers@luskin.ucla.edu
UCLA Voting Rights Project Asks for Removal of Shasta Co. Elections Chief Ahead of Midterms
Letter to grand jury asks that proceedings be initiated against Registrar Clint Curtis following his handling of election materials while in office.
REDDING, Calif. (September 9, 2026) — The UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP), joined by Sr. Advisor Xaiver Becerra, today called on the Shasta County grand jury to initiate proceedings to remove County Clerk and Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis from office, citing a pattern of conduct that has undermined the lawful and transparent administration of elections.
Curtis currently oversees elections in Shasta County and is expected to administer the November election. Although Registrar Curtis certified the results of the June 2026 Primary election, on July 2, he subsequently raised unsubstantiated concerns about the ballots from the contest he administered and lost.
According to public statements and media reports that were cited in the letter, Curtis sealed ballots from the June 2026 primary and November 2024 general election inside the county elections office. He later installed additional locks and had the lock keys destroyed. Registrar Curtis reportedly said the June ballots did not look, feel, or smell right and expressed hope that federal authorities would examine or seize election materials.
“It sets a dangerous precedent if Mr. Curtis was allowed to employ the authority of his office to cast suspicion on an election he administered, certified, but then lost,” said Sonni Waknin, Senior Voting Rights Counsel at the UCLA Voting Rights Project. “With another election approaching, Shasta County voters deserve an elections office that follows the law, protects the chain of custody, and administers every ballot with professionalism and transparency.”
The letter also cites two county investigations that substantiated allegations of misconduct involving Curtis’s treatment of election employees. Those findings included retaliation against staff, campaign-related activity during working hours, and threatening or intimidating language. The Shasta County Board of Supervisors formally censured Curtis in August.
California law allows a county grand jury to present a written accusation seeking the removal of a public officer for willful or corrupt misconduct in office. If the grand jury presents an accusation, the matter proceeds in Superior Court, where the official has an opportunity to respond, and the allegations may be tried before a jury.
The VRP sent its letter to the Shasta County grand jury and urged the Board of Supervisors to support removal proceedings. The letter was also provided to the Shasta County district attorney. The VRP hopes the letter will result in action from the grand jury to remove Registrar Curtis.
“Curtis’s conduct has created serious questions about the security and administration of Shasta County’s elections at a moment when voters need confidence that their ballots will be handled according to law,” Waknin said. “State and local officials must act before those concerns carry into the November election.”
Curtis is scheduled to remain in office until Francescut begins her term in January 2027.
Read the letter to the Shasta Co. grand jury here.
About the UCLA Voting Rights Project
The UCLA Voting Rights Project was established to protect equal voting rights for all Americans through strategic litigation, social science research, and policy advocacy. The VRP seeks to ensure that all individuals are afforded equal access to the electoral process and representation in governance. For more information about the UCLA Voting Rights Project, please visit vrp.ucla.edu.
