Shasta County Board of Supervisors District 5 runoff (November 3, 2026): Chris Kelstrom (incumbent) vs. Mike W. Gallagher (Anderson City Councilman).
Chris Kelstrom Mike Gallagher
SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. — Voters in Shasta County’s District 5 will choose between incumbent Supervisor Chris Kelstrom and Anderson City Councilman Mike W. Gallagher in the Nov. 3 general election. Neither candidate secured a majority in the June 2 primary — Gallagher received approximately 49% of the vote, Kelstrom about 41%, and challenger Gary Oxley roughly 10% — sending the race to a runoff. District 5 covers southeastern Shasta County, including Anderson, Cottonwood and Shingletown.
Backgrounds
Kelstrom is a lifelong Shasta County resident. Born and raised in the area, he graduated from Enterprise High School — the same school his parents attended — and attended Shasta College. He has described early work as a paper boy for the Record Searchlight beginning at age 12, followed by a grocery-store job at 16. By 19, he was managing a store in Anderson while continuing classes.
He brings more than 40 years of private-sector experience in customer service and business management. In 1987 he managed his first business in Anderson and moved to Cottonwood in 1988, where he still lives. He has cited roughly 14 years in business management, including work in Happy Valley around 2001, and about 20 years focused on customer service. He previously served as a shop steward for the local Redding Teamsters, has been a director on the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of the Cattlemen’s Association, the National Rifle Association (life member) and the California Rifle and Pistol Association. He has also noted earlier involvement with local groups including the Tea Party.
In his 2022 candidate statement and later interviews, Kelstrom has emphasized that he is not a career politician. He said he ran in part over concerns about career politicians and the “little guy” being overlooked, and he made term limits a campaign priority. Elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022, he currently serves as board chair for 2026.
Gallagher has lived in Northern California for more than six decades. Born in Corning and raised in Los Molinos, he has described working in his father’s mom-and-pop restaurant starting around age 15 — making pizzas, washing dishes and bussing tables. He moved to the Redding area in 1986 and has been a Shasta County resident for about 40 years (with a brief stint in Chico). He relocated to Anderson in 2013.
At 24, he attended The Refrigeration School in Phoenix, graduating at the top of his class, then worked as an HVAC service technician for more than 13 years across the North State. In 2003 he earned his California contractor’s license and started his own metal-roofing company, which he later closed after the 2008 downturn reduced demand for higher-cost metal roofs. He has said the business experience taught lessons about payroll, costs and responsible decisions.
He and his wife, DeAnna, married in 2001; they blended a family of four children, and he is a grandfather. Faith has been central in his life since 1998. Before formal public office, he and his wife founded the Manter House / Bruce Street neighborhood community center in Anderson — an area that had generated a high share of police calls. They purchased a home, created a community hub for services and classes, and reported reductions in violent crime and other positive changes over roughly seven years. That work led to his appointment to the Anderson Planning Commission in 2014 (later serving as chair). He was appointed to the Anderson City Council in 2018 or 2019 to fill a vacancy and won election in 2022. He has described himself as a blue-collar tradesman, small-business owner, outdoorsman, husband, father and grandfather focused on common-sense leadership.
Voting Records and Key Actions
Kelstrom has generally aligned with the board’s conservative majority and often voted with Supervisor Kevin Crye. An analysis cited by Gallagher claimed more than 85% alignment; Kelstrom has attributed it to shared conservative views. Notable actions include:
In March 2023, he voted with the 3-2 majority (alongside Crye and Patrick Jones) to end the county’s Dominion Voting Systems contract and pursue manual ballot counting. The move prompted state legislation restricting hand-counting in larger counties.
He supported appointments of registrars of voters, including former prosecutor Toller in 2024 and Clint Curtis in 2025.
He participated in the board majority that voted to eliminate impact fees (one-time development charges), reducing certain county revenues.
Code enforcement was shifted to primarily complaint-driven responses rather than proactive searches, and the county stopped withholding valid building permits over unrelated issues.
He supported efforts related to a proposed behavioral-health facility in Anderson (nearly $2 million in contingent opioid settlement funds, with strings attached requiring local approvals) and jail-related Alternative Custody Program plans.
He voted yes, with Crye and Corkey Harmon, on a symbolic resolution supporting a rural California “split” or new-state effort after Proposition 50; the language was softened to avoid the word “secession.”
He sponsored and pushed for Measure C, which limited Board of Supervisors members to two terms. It passed in March 2024 with roughly 77% support. The limit applies prospectively to terms beginning after Jan. 1, 2025, so prior or current service does not count against the cap in a way that bars him from a second full term. He has described it as fulfilling a campaign promise to avoid career politicians.
He has listed preserving Lake McCumber and North Battle Creek Reservoir — part of the PG&E Battle Creek hydro system facing potential decommissioning — as a top priority for a second term. He has engaged with the local Save Lake McCumber effort, citing recreational, firefighting, and community value. The group seeks a new owner or operator rather than dam removal.
Kelstrom has emphasized conservative fiscal votes, line-item budget review and keeping budgets “in the black,” while noting overall county budget declines of nearly $100 million over recent cycles due to rising wages and slow revenue growth. He has also highlighted code-enforcement reforms and calmer board meetings under his chairmanship.
Gallagher has roughly 12 years of experience in Anderson government roles, including four years on the Planning Commission and service on the City Council since his appointment. Specific individual roll-call votes receive less detailed county-level coverage, but he has described collaborative work on Anderson budgets, including realigning expenditures toward balance, park improvements (River Park, a splash pad and concert-stage upgrades) and infrastructure. In candidate forums he has criticized county-level decisions, including funding for the behavioral-health facility in Anderson — calling the project “horrible, ill advised, unprofessional” and arguing the board did not adequately review the application — and overall county fiscal management. He has opposed what he sees as wasteful spending and emphasized core services.
Kelstrom has criticized Anderson’s finances, citing a large multi-year sewer-rate increase and the need to borrow money from the county to cover a cash-flow shortfall after raising staff salaries, as an example of local mismanagement. Gallagher has pointed to his city-level experience with hard budget conversations and staff collaboration.
Candidate Forum and Debate Positions
Positions have been outlined primarily at a League of Women Voters forum in Anderson in April 2026, a Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce forum, and a Jefferson Public Radio candidates discussion in September 2026.
On finances and the budget, Kelstrom defended his term’s conservative management, said he reads every budget line, and highlighted balanced budgets along with code-enforcement and efficiency gains. He criticized Anderson’s sewer rates. Gallagher described the county budget as “in very, very rough shape,” argued the last four years left insufficient revenues for jail overcrowding, homelessness and domestic violence, and stressed living within means, transparency and prioritizing core services before expansions.
On staff turnover and leadership, Gallagher blamed leadership style for the loss of experienced staff and called for change, saying the county needs to “bring some water to the fire.” Kelstrom pointed to retained or new experienced leaders, including the county executive officer and county counsel, and credited staff for improvements such as those in resource management. He said meetings are calmer under his chairmanship and that he applies rules fairly — one warning before removal for disruptions, noting he has “kicked people out on both sides.”
On Measure B (voter ID, limited absentee voting, hand-counting and an offline voter roll), Gallagher said that if voters pass it, elected officials have an obligation to implement it. Kelstrom supported the goals but warned a local ordinance would likely draw a lawsuit from the state attorney general for violating state election code; he preferred a statewide approach such as Assemblymember Carl DeMaio’s initiative. Kelstrom did vote with the majority of the other Supervisors to file suit against the sponsors of Measure B and to not defend it after the state filed suit after the initiative passed.
On the jail and public safety, both generally supported Sheriff Michael Johnson’s Alternative Custody Program. Kelstrom opposed siting a new expanded facility in Anderson against local wishes and has discussed remodeling, out-of-county housing and alternative sites; he has referenced AB 109’s role in crowding. Gallagher prioritized financial stabilization first and has advocated the state reopening prisons. On a sales tax for jail facilities, Gallagher said yes, citing Anderson precedent; Kelstrom said it depends on voters.
On other issues, Kelstrom strongly supported a medical school at Simpson University for its projected economic impact. Gallagher opposed subsidizing a private institution. On the Anderson behavioral-health facility, Gallagher led public opposition; Kelstrom said the county contribution had multiple contingencies, including Anderson City Council approval, insisted on by another supervisor. Both identify as conservative, supporting smaller government and lower taxes. Gallagher has stressed practicality, learning from disagreement and funding essential services.
Endorsements
Kelstrom’s listed endorsements, from his campaign site and related reporting, include the Shasta County Republican Central Committee; Local 185 Laborers Union; Redding Rancheria; former District 5 Supervisor Trish Clarke; Redding City Council members Tenessa Audette and Dr. Paul Dhanuka; business owners Greg Hawes, Ivar Amen and Kathie and Frank Muse; Amarjit Singh of the Anderson Sikh Center; Dale Ball; and the Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce (a dual endorsement with Gallagher). The chamber scored Kelstrom 8.6 and Gallagher 8.7.
Gallagher’s listed endorsements include former Shasta County Supervisor Tim Garman, who withdrew from the race and endorsed him, and the Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce (dual with Kelstrom). His campaign site, votegallagher.com, emphasizes “No More Waste. Common Sense Leadership,” fiscal conservatism, domestic-violence response, homelessness with accountability, public safety and infrastructure, but does not prominently list additional formal endorsements in materials reviewed.
Primary results showed Gallagher stronger in Anderson and Kelstrom relatively stronger in more rural areas of the district. Both races are nonpartisan. Earlier campaign finance reporting showed Gallagher leading in receipts largely due to a substantial self-loan or donation; Kelstrom also raised substantial funds. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Official campaign websites for the District 5 candidates:
Chris Kelstrom: chriskelstrom.com
Mike W. Gallagher: votegallagher.com
