Toller Resigns, 1-day Turnaround for Special Meeting: Shasta County Board to Discuss ROV Vacancy in Meeting at Redding City Hall

IMPORTANT: I will be live-streaming the event at 4:00 pm on 3/27/2025. Stream will be available on the North State Breakdown Facebook page.

This Thursday, March 27, incidentally also my birthday. The Shasta County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting to discuss options for replacing Registrar of Voters Tom Toller, who recently announced his resignation due to health issues. The meeting begins at 4:00 p.m. at the Redding City Council Chambers. Despite the importance of the topic, it will not be live-streamed or recorded.

The official reason? A media renovation project is underway to upgrade the boardroom’s projector, speakers, and other audiovisual equipment. The County had previously stated that during this construction period, meetings would take place at the Shasta Lake Council Chambers, which is already equipped for live streaming. This meeting, however, is being held in the Redding board chambers with no explanation for the change. There will be no video archive, no remote access, and limited public visibility. Given the significance of the agenda, the last-minute location change raises concerns. My question guess is with short notice this was the only venue available.

The agenda item is listed simply as R1: Consider options related to the vacancy of the County Clerk/Registrar of Voters position. Public comment is allowed, but only in person, and only if speaker cards are submitted before the item begins. There is no opportunity for virtual participation.

Importantly, no official selection will be made at this meeting. The item is for discussion and direction only. Which begs the question — why the rush? Why hold a mid-week special session on short notice, when no appointment is even being finalized? And more importantly, why not wait until the renovations are complete, and the public can fully participate? This is not an election year. The next statewide election is in 2026. The urgency seems artificial.

This vacancy is not a routine matter. Toller’s resignation follows that of longtime ROV Cathy Darling Allen, who also stepped down due to health issues. In both cases, the intense political pressure surrounding elections in Shasta County appears to have played a role. Toller’s own resignation letter noted that he wanted to give the County enough time to find a replacement before the 2026 gubernatorial primary. What it did not say is what most people already understand: the role of Registrar of Voters in Shasta County has become politically weaponized.

Toller was appointed in June 2024 after the board majority rejected more experienced candidates, including Assistant Registrar Johanna Franciscut. Despite being aligned with the board majority’s political preferences during his hiring, Toller later confirmed there was no evidence of election fraud in Shasta County. That conclusion contradicted the narrative pushed by some supervisors and likely contributed to his departure.

Now the board has another opportunity to fill the seat. The question is whether they will appoint a qualified, experienced, and impartial candidate or continue using the office as a tool for partisan influence.

In the last appointment process, Supervisor Kevin Crye made it clear it was a choice between Toller or Franciscut, effectively boxing in the board. At the same time, Supervisor Patrick Jones participated in the vote while having recently testified as a witness against the elections office in court. That conflict of interest raises serious ethical concerns, possibly even violating state law.

Now, the stakes are even higher. The County’s decision to hold this meeting in a closed chamber, without live-streaming or recording, means the public is once again excluded from the conversation.

That is why we at The North State Breakdown have taken it upon ourselves to stream the meeting via our Facebook Page. We will do what the County will not. 

(View the live-stream Here)

The public deserves transparency. These decisions should not happen in a vacuum.

The board is expected to consider whether to appoint someone for the remainder of Toller’s term, which runs through January 2027, or make a temporary appointment until the next election. Either choice could shape the future of how elections are conducted and overseen in Shasta County.

This moment is not just about selecting a new department head. It is about trust, accountability, and the basic function of democracy. When a board chooses secrecy over openness, it sends a message about whose voice truly matters.

The March 27 meeting is a defining moment. Will Shasta County choose transparency and good governance, or continue down the road of closed-door politics?

We will be there to witness it, and we invite the public to do the same. If you want to be in person, please arrive at 4:00 pm at 777 Cypress Ave.

Happy birthday to me. 🎂