Kevin Crye Recall and Shasta County District 2 Race Remain Too Close to Call, District 4 Supervisor Patrick Jones Loses to Matt Plummer

This was the last election presided over by longtime ROV Cathy Darling Allen, who is
retiring for health reasons.

With an estimated total of 1,208 unprocessed ballots left to be counted, Shasta County District 1 Supervisor Kevin Crye is beating back the effort to recall him by the skin of his teeth, according to the Shasta County Registrar of Voters third election update released Friday afternoon.

As of today, “no” votes on Crye’s recall lead “yes” votes by 46 votes, 4,573 to 4,527. That’s 50.25 percent for no votes and 49.75 percent for yes votes, a margin narrower than Crye’s 90-vote victory over Erin Resner for the District 1 seat in 2022.

In the District 2 race, former RPD detective Allen Long continues to lead with more than 50 percent of the vote—enough to avoid a run-off in the fall—but just barely. With 10,555 votes counted, Long leads his closest challenger, election denier Laura Hobbs, with 5,310 votes, 50.31 percent, to Hobbs’ 2,031 votes, 19.07 percent. Shasta County Republican Party Central Committee chair Dan Sloan is right behind Hobbs with 1,941 votes, 18.39 percent.

Long’s total of 5,310 votes is just 33 votes more than half of the 10,555 District 2 votes counted so far, which is 5,278 votes. When all the votes are counted, it’s possible Long may be headed to a run-off this November against either Hobbs or Sloan.

That means with an estimated total of 1,208 votes left to be counted in the county, Crye’s recall and the District 2 race remain too close to call.

In the District 3 Supervisor race, incumbent Mary Rickert leads with 4,380 votes, 40.24 percent, compared to her closest challenger, contractor Corkey Harmon, who has 3,483 votes, 32.14 percent. State of Jefferson mouthpiece Win Carpenter trails Harmon with 2,973 votes, 27.44 percent.

It seems improbable that Carpenter can make up the 510-vote difference between himself and Harmon, the latter of whom appears to be heading for a run-off election against Rickert this November.

Nonprofit consultant and Bethel Church member Matt Plumber has handily defeated incumbent District 4 Supervisor Patrick Jones, with 6,344 votes, 59.60 percent, to Jones’ 4,285 votes, 40.31 percent.

Measure C, which limits Shasta County supervisors to two terms in office, was overwhelmingly passed by voters, with 39,934 yes votes, 76.82 percent, to 12,049 no votes, 23.18 percent. The measure takes effect beginning next year.

Measure D, which makes Shasta County a charter county for the limited purpose of allowing county supervisors to pick replacements for the board instead of the state’s governor, has passed with 28,701 yes votes, 55.61 percent, to 22,914 no votes, 44.39 percent. Like Measure C, Measure D becomes law on Jan. 1, 2024.

Perhaps the most shocking result of what can rightfully be called the most important primary election in Shasta County’s history was voter turnout, which was a paltry 47.28 percent, more than 10 percent lower than the primary elections in 2020 and 2022.

According to Assistant Shasta County Clerk Joanna Fransecutt, voters anxious about the results of Crye’s recall and the District 2 race will have to wait until at least Friday, March 22, a week from today, for the next update.

“We are working quickly to complete the canvass for this election,” Fransecutt said in a press release.  “California counties have up to 28 days to complete the official canvass of a federal election and 30 days for statewide and local elections.”

That means voters may not know the final results until April 4. Try not to bite your nails too much. Here’s the rundown on the votes remaining to be counted and the current state of county races.

March 15, 2024 Fourth Estimated Unprocessed Ballot Report

Vote By Mail: 358
Provisional: 176
CVR Provisional: 120
Other: 278
Total unprocessed votes: 1208

Shasta County District 1 Supervisor Kevin Crye.

March 15, 2024 ‘Recall Kevin Crye’ election update

Comparison with the previous ‘Recall Kevin Crye’ election updates:

The March 6 Yes Recall Crye update reported 2,080 votes/53.13 percent.
The March 6 No Recall Crye update reported 1,835 votes/46.87 percent.

The March 8 Yes Recall Kevin Crye update reported 3,585 votes/51.84 percent.
The March 8 No Recall Kevin Crye update reported 3,330 votes/48.16 percent.

The March 12 Yes Recall Kevin Crye update reported 4,290 votes/49.77 percent.
The March 12 No Recall Kevin Crye update reported 4,329 votes/50.23 percent.

March 15, 2024 Shasta County District 2 Supervisor election update

Comparison with the previous Shasta County District 2 election updates:

March 6 Shasta County District 2 vote update:
Allen Long – 2,256 votes/55.21 percent
Dan Sloan – 649 votes/15.88 percent
Laura Hobbs – 689 votes/16.86 percent
Susanne Baremore – 492 votes/12.04 percent

March 8 Shasta County District 2 vote update:
Allen Long – 3,739 votes/52.89 percent
Dan Sloan – 1,168 votes/16.52 percent
Laura Hobbs – 1,261 votes/17.84 percent
Susanne Baremore – 902 votes/12.76 percent

March 12 Shasta County District 2 vote update:
Alan Long — 4824 votes, 51.16 percent
Dan Sloan —1,650 votes, 17.5 percent
Laura Hobbs —1,756 votes, 18.26 percent
Susanne Baremore — 1,200 votes, 12.73 percent

March 15, 2024 Shasta County District 3 Supervisor election update

Comparison with previous Shasta County District 3 Supervisor election updates:

March 6 Shasta County District 3 vote update:
Win Carpenter – 1,282 votes/27.72 percent
Mary Rickert – 2,034 votes/43.99 percent
Corkey Harmon – 1,308 votes/28.29 percent

March 8 Shasta County District 3 vote update:
Win Carpenter – 1,984 votes/27.30 percent
Mary Rickert – 3,152 votes/43.37 percent
Corkey Harmon – 2,132 votes/29.33 percent

March 12 Shasta County District 3 vote update:
Win Carpenter — 2,576 votes/27.17 percent
Mary Rickert — 3,938 votes/41.54 percent
Corkey Harmon — 2,967 votes/31.29 percent

March 15, 2024 Shasta County District 4 Supervisor election update

Comparison with previous Shasta County District 4 Supervisor election updates:

March 6 Shasta County District 4 vote update:
Patrick Jones – 1,670/39.41 percent
Matt Plummer – 2,567 votes/60.59 percent

March 8 Shasta County District 4 vote update:
Patrick Jones – 2,574 votes/39.58 percent
Matt Plummer – 3,930 votes/60.42 percent

March 12 Shasta County District 4 update:
Patrick Jones — 3,114 votes/38.5 percent
Matt Plummer — 4,974 votes/61.5 percent

March 15, 2024 Measure C—Term Limits election update
March 15, 2024 Measure D—Charter County for supervisor vacancies election update