Election day and night were quiet in California. Even in Shasta County, where denialism runs hot
Shasta County election officials braced for a long night Tuesday. They worried about a repeat of the June 7 primary, when a wave of observers challenged their work and confronted Clerk and Registrar of Voters Cathy Darling Allen with concerns about the count.
Sheriff’s Office deputies and security guards stood watch. Reporters waited with cameras and open notebooks.
But after the polls closed, a six-year-old Tibetan Spaniel named Gryffin was attracting most of the attention. A sign that covered much of his body read: “We (heart) the Shasta County Elections Dept!”
Election Day in California was largely uneventful. That was especially true in the rural north, where election denialism runs hot and deep. In July, the Board of Supervisors only narrowly voted to accept the already certified results from the primary.
And despite widespread fears of disruption and violence, the day went smoothly with a few exceptions. Technical glitches in Arizona and Michigan led to right-wing allegations of deeper problems with the count.
In Redding, only a small group went to the Registrar of Voters office Tuesday to observe. Several were there to support Allen and other election workers.
Gryffin’s owner, Cheryl McKinley, came by twice.
“I trust election officials,” McKinley said after the polls closed. The 70-year-old is the chair of the county’s Democratic women’s club. Less than a quarter of the county’s 111,300 registered voters are Democrats.
In June, several observers lobbed questions at election workers. Allen said they were disruptive, asking the same inquiries of staff over and over again. Watchers contend they were just trying to get answers about issues including the security of ballots and the building.
McKinley said she wanted to be there in case another wave returned Tuesday.
“We can’t have a common good if we don’t have free and fair elections,” she said.
Count goes smoothly
A desire for fair elections inspired two women to observe the office during the day. They looked through a large glass window as workers removed ballots from envelopes. They stood before recently-installed television monitors, which showed overhead video of workers answering phones and organizing envelopes.
Previously, observers were able to walk more freely around the office to watch workers. This time, they were directed to stand in an area on the second floor.
One of the women, Wendy Miller, said it was her first time as an election observer.
“We need to be taking, as patriots and citizens, a more active role.”
As of midday Tuesday, Miller said she had learned a lot about the election process. She complemented staff for their knowledge and helpfulness.
“It’s been really good,” Miller said of her experience.
The cold air and rain that persisted throughout the day could have been one cause of dampened enthusiasm. Still, many people dropped off ballots in a box next to the office’s front door.
Others waited, sometimes in a small line, to vote inside. Bundled up in jackets, they took cover under portable canopies and a nearby awning. And they inched closer to patio heaters shooting out warm air.
One person who stepped in line said loudly: “Let’s hope our vote counts.”
Bill Schultz, 69, didn’t have concerns about his vote being counted. He slipped his ballot into the office’s drop box in the early afternoon.
“I have faith,” he said.
Several hours later, Marty Reardon walked out of the elections office after voting in person. The 65-year-old said he felt there was election cheating on a national level.
“I definitely believe we have the wrong president,” he said.
Yet when it comes to elections in Shasta County, the auto body man was cautiously optimistic that cheating didn’t happen.
“I hope I don’t feel the same this year as I did last time,” he said, referring to the 2020 presidential election.
After polls closed, a small group of observers waited outside the office to watch workers bring back ballots and supplies from precincts. Two others stood inside near the monitors.
Shortly before her office posted the final results of the evening, around 11:30 p.m., Allen took a moment to reflect.
“I feel like this was really successful,” she said of the day.
Still, Allen said she was not taking it for granted. Two seats on the Board of Supervisors were undecided. The office had thousands more ballots to count before its work was officially done this election cycle.
“That doesn’t mean tomorrow won’t be a problem,” she cautioned. “We’ll see.”
This story was originally published November 9, 2022 at 4:08 PM.
