Shasta County Faces Tensions Amid Election Denialism and Rising Hostility Toward Election Workers

 

In the deeply conservative Shasta County in northern California, residents are preparing for a heated election as the community contends with the spread of election denialism, fueling conspiracy theories around voter fraud and creating an increasingly challenging environment for local election officials.

In recent weeks, some Shasta County residents have urged officials not to certify election results. One local figure even warned that if former President Donald Trump is “cheated” in the election, there would be consequences. As the nation focuses on swing states in the race between Kamala Harris and Trump, Shasta County illustrates the broader impact of election denialism and extreme politics on American communities.

“Shasta County has been a tense place for three to four years,” said Nathan Blaze, a local activist and chef. “The division here is only growing.”

Known for its conservative politics, Shasta County strongly supported Trump in the 2016 and 2020 elections and has since become a hub for election conspiracy theories. Local activists who believe in widespread voter fraud have pushed to overhaul the county's election system. This movement has led officials, some of whom have promoted election misinformation, to eliminate voting machines in favor of hand-counting ballots. Though backed by prominent election denial figures like Mike Lindell, the effort was blocked by a new California law that restricts manual counting in most elections.

These activists closely monitor election workers, frequently appearing at the county office to observe the election process and often creating a tense atmosphere. Workers report being questioned persistently by those who refuse to trust the voting system, and some observers have been accused of filming or recording the staff.

The Shasta County elections office has had to ramp up security to protect its workers. Despite this, approximately half of the office’s staff have left in the past year, including one employee who cited harassment from an elected official as a reason for departing. Tanner Johnson, who worked in the office for over a year, shared with A News Cafe that the pressure and harassment took a toll on his mental health, and he fears violence could erupt.

“There’s been a lot of saber-rattling these past couple of years, and it's escalating,” Johnson told the outlet. “One day, someone’s actually going to draw the saber, and I don’t want to be around for that.”

Last week, a tense county meeting saw residents aligned with election misinformation demand more transparency from the elections office and urged officials to put pressure on the office head. “You cannot certify the election next Tuesday, no matter what happens,” one resident argued.

While some locals report that tensions feel slightly lower than in past elections, there remains an undercurrent of dissatisfaction. Blaze, committed to pushing back against the extremism, plans to visit the elections office on Tuesday to “observe the observers,” ensuring accountability.

“We’re standing up to these people,” Blaze said. “There’s nothing a bully fears more than someone who won’t back down.”

As Shasta County approaches election day, its atmosphere reflects a broader national struggle with trust in the electoral process, underscoring the challenges faced by communities under the shadow of election denialism.