The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Sept. 30, 2026
Written & Produced by:
September 29, 2026 12:20 pmSACRAMENTO, CA — We have updates from California today, where Riverside County’s sheriff was ordered to return over 650,000 2025 ballots he seized earlier this year, and state and federal officials are investigating after Shasta County’s chief election officer and known election skeptic made allegations of ballot stuffing because the paper didn’t ‘feel right’.
CalMatters reports that September 24th, the California Supreme Court ordered Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to immediately return 1400 boxes of ballots from2025’s redistricting referendum. Bianco had said he was investigating a “potential 45,000 extra votes,” as calculated by, QUOTE, “citizen volunteers.”
The Shasta Scout reports that Clint Curtis, a known election skeptic hired in May 2025 by Shasta County supervisors as county clerk and registrar of voters, claims that some June 2nd primary ballots did not “look, feel” or “smell” right. He made the allegations after he certified the county’s election, and accused election staff of misconduct. He has since been censured by the Board of Supervisors for alleged violent behavior toward his staff.
Shasta County encouraged state and federal officials August 25th to investigate both the ballots and the election office. Curtis was ordered to appear before a federal grand jury September 24th. Curtis lost his own June 2nd primary, but will still conduct the November 3rd election.
We’ve linked to the local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources
California Supreme Court – CLARISSA CERVANTES et al., Petitioners, v. CHAD BIANCO, as Sheriff, etc., et al.,
Respondents; RIVERSIDE COUNTY CITIZENS et al.,
CalMatters – California sheriff broke election law by seizing ballots, state Supreme Court rules
Shasta Scout – Federal court subpoenas Shasta elections official, instructs him to bring voted ballots to Sacramento
Shasta Scout – Shasta supervisors censure election official Clint Curtis, citing misconduct against staff
Shasta County, CA – Shasta County Welcomes State and Federal Election Investigators and Encourages a
Review of the County Clerk/Registrar of Voters Office
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – Tarrant County, TX Commissioners Close 92 Polling Places; Convicted CO County Clerk Tina Peters Withdraws from Shasta County, CA Job Offer
American Democracy Minute – (2025) Five Years After the 2020 Election, More Election Denier Turmoil in Shasta County, CA
American Democracy Minute – (2023) Shasta County, CA Votes to Hand Count Ballots for its 111,000 Voters. Now They Have to Pay for It.
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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