A citizens group whose leaders have been at the forefront of unverified claims of local election fraud are leaning heavily on Shasta’s status as a charter county in their attempt to change its voting rules.
“Save Shasta Elections” started collecting signatures for a measure to require single-day, in-person voting with limited access to absentee ballots, voter identification and hand-counted ballots.
The group argues that because Shasta is a charter county its laws, including elections, supersede state law. Voters approved a ballot measure last November that made Shasta a charter county. It is among 15 counties in California that govern by charter.
“Shasta County has a unique opportunity as a charter law county to create and follow rules locally,” the group states in its notice to circulate a petition to get the charter amendment on the ballot.
But some raise serious legal questions whether the county has the power to pass voter laws that run counter to state laws….