A Rogue “Voter Task Force” is Intimidating Residents in Shasta County

Shasta County election officials are warning residents about a group of “very aggressive” individuals who have been visiting the homes of some Shasta voters and questioning them about their voter status.

"They’re wearing very distinctive neon vests and some kind of ID badge that says 'voter task force,'" County Clerk Cathy Darling Allen told SFGATE. "We are being told that these people are being very aggressive and intimating that they work in this office when they do not. We want voters to know this isn’t an official effort; we have a whole host of tools we use to verify info. Door knocking is not something we would ever do." 

“What we've heard is these people aren't going door-to-door," Allen added. "People who contacted us said, 'My house is the only one on the street they went to.'"

The rogue “voter task force” may be connected to conspiracy theories regarding the 2020 election. Shasta is a conservative county with active elements of right-wing extremism. 

Allen said her office has become a “dumping ground” for activists who believe the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. Convinced that elections are being usurped by Democrats and disloyal Republicans, some of these activists have formed posses to ostensibly monitor election integrity. These activists have disrupted county meetings and repeatedly demanded recounts of local elections. During the June primary, some 'election observers' showed up at Allen's office to question the vote count. The interactions were “contentious,” according to officials. Trail cameras were later discovered near the back entrance of the Shasta County Elections Department.