Initial results Tuesday night show Measure B winning with 56% of voters casting ballots for it.
The measure would make sweeping changes to Shasta County's election system, including requiring photo identification for voters, mandating hand-counting ballots and restricting voting by mail.
Supporters said the changes would make elections more secure and transparent.
Opponents argued the changes would violate state and federal election laws. Among other provisions, it would require hand-counting ballots despite a 2024 California law that bans hand-counting in most elections. Lawmakers passed that law in response to an earlier effort by Shasta County supervisors to hand-count ballots.
The measure faced a lawsuit seeking to pull it from the ballot. But a judge allowed voters to consider the measure, saying courts rarely prevent measures from appearing on the ballot. The judge did not make a decision on the validity of the ballot measure.
While voters appear to be approving controversial changes to the elections system, they don't appear to be supporting the current county clerk who's been championing some of the proposed changes. Incumbent County Clerk Clint Curtis is currently losing his election to former Assistant County Clerk Joanna Francescut, who is seeking to restore stability to the elections office.
Despite the apparent loss, some Measure B opponents pointed to other election-night wins.
"Flipping the majority in the board, getting Joanna Francescut in there are really big, important wins, and will change the direction of the county for some time to come," said Redding resident Cork McGowan, who wrote the opposition statement for Measure B.
Redding City Council member and moderate challenger Erin Resner appeared to be winning her primary against far-right incumbent Kevin Crye in the Board of Supervisors race. A Resner victory would shift the majority control of the five-member board.
McGowan said he believes that many voters saw the signs promoting Measure B as a voter ID measure and cast their ballot based on that message alone, without understanding the other proposed changes.
If the ballot measure does ultimately pass, it's likely to face legal challenges. A charter amendment voters approved in Huntington Beach that would have allowed the city to check for photo ID at polling places was struck down in court earlier this year.
Ballots may continue to arrive at the elections office for up to a week if they were postmarked by Election Day.
