The conservative leaders of Shasta County, California, have hired a new registrar of voters with no experience in running elections. Tom Toller, a former county prosecutor, was chosen for the job despite his lack of expertise in handling elections. Toller expressed support for hand-counting ballots, a method that experts have deemed impractical given the large number of ballots typically received in a countywide election. This decision comes after the county made headlines in 2023 for attempting to hand-count ballots in response to baseless claims of election fraud.
The controversy surrounding the vote-counting machines used in Shasta County led to tensions within the community, with some residents attempting to recall Supervisor Kevin Crye. Crye narrowly survived the recall attempt in a March election that was seen as a referendum on the practice of hand-counting ballots. The state Legislature intervened by passing a law that prohibits counties from hand-counting ballots in most circumstances, further complicating the situation in Shasta County.
Toller, who has a background in training attorneys and police officers, indicated that he would support a lawsuit to overturn the state’s ban on hand-counting ballots if the county decides to pursue that course of action. Despite his lack of experience, Toller believes that hand-counting ballots can be implemented transparently and accurately. The former registrar of voters, Cathy Darling Allen, retired with more than two years left in her term, leading the Board of Supervisors to appoint her replacement.
The Board of Supervisors selected Toller over Joanna Fransecut, a seasoned veteran of the registrar’s office who had served as Allen’s deputy. Toller admitted that the inner workings of the office were unfamiliar to him, but he assured the board that he was dedicated to learning and understanding election statutes and regulations. Some members of the board expressed concerns about Toller’s lack of experience, with Supervisor Mary Rickert questioning the decision and urging her colleagues to consider the potential consequences of hiring someone inexperienced for such a crucial role.
Despite reservations from some board members, Supervisor Crye stood by his decision to support Toller’s appointment, stating that he believed Fransecut could benefit from working under Toller’s leadership for a period of time. Crye emphasized his confidence in Toller’s abilities and his commitment to upholding fairness and transparency in the election process. The decision to hire Toller as the new registrar of voters in Shasta County reflects the ongoing challenges and controversies surrounding election practices in the wake of unfounded allegations of fraud and the push for hand-counting ballots.
