FBI inspects Shasta County ballots after registrar alleges counterfeit votes

Clint Curtis, Shasta County's registrar of voters, asserted that mail-in ballots from the June primary appeared unusually thick, smelled odd and seemed counterfeit, a claim he made after his own defeat in the race. He locked the ballots away and later welcomed FBI agents, who entered the storage room with bolt cutters and examined the boxes without removing any ballots, while representatives from the California secretary of state’s office observed.

Curtis said a federal grand jury subpoena required him to bring the ballots to Sacramento, but he later heard the subpoena was withdrawn, though no written notice arrived. County leaders have publicly condemned Curtis' conduct and urged state and federal agencies to review his actions. The episode occurs amid broader MAGA-aligned efforts to uncover alleged election fraud, which experts say lacks evidence and is thwarted by robust California voting safeguards.