California: Shasta County Supervisor survives recall vote

Shasta County Supervisor Kevin Crye survived the primary election day recall by 50 votes (4666-4716).

The recall was over the vote to cancel a voting systems contract with Dominion Voting and requiring handcounting, which will cost the county millions. This is part of the fight in Shasta and Crye seems to be connected to the far right groups, one of whom led the successful recall of Supervisor Leonard Moty.

The recall got the ballot after petitioners handed in 5104 signatures and 4929 were verified. They need 4151 valids to get on the ballot. Supervisors questioned the small rejection rate.  

Supporters in Shasta County asked that Governor Gavin Newsom not appoint a replacement if Crye is ousted in a recall and instead allow the voters to choose. As a reminder, in 2022, the state changed the law for local officials who lose a recall election. In that case (unless there is a local law from a charter city), the new law eliminates a replacement election and instead uses an automatic replacement model (with the governor or a specified body making the choice of replacements). The law also explains why there is such a long timeframe until the recall is held (it allows a longer timeframe to tie recalls to general election dates).