Shasta County Supervisor Candidate Raises Red Flags Over Runbeck Election Services Contract Renewal

Redding, CA – May 3, 2026 — Shasta County Board of Supervisors candidate for District 1, Richard Gallardo, appeared on the KCNR (1460 AM/ 96.5 FM) radio show “The Jefferson State of Mine” this morning and highlighted what he described as a troubling item on Tuesday’s Board agenda.

Item C7 under the Consent Calendar is a proposed Personal Services Agreement with Runbeck Election Services, LLC for ballot printing and mailing services for an amount not to exceed $3.5 Million. The agreement would run from April 1, 2026, through December 31, 2031 — nearly six years — and is being presented for retroactive approval.

Gallardo, who reviewed a copy of the proposed contract (which is available on the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting website under the Agenda for Tuesday’s upcoming meeting - by clicking on the HTML packet), expressed strong concern over the complete absence of any early termination or “exit clause” that would allow the County to bring ballot printing and mailing in-house.

Also, this morning, Shasta County Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis appeared as a guest on the KQMS radio program “Poke the Hornet’s Nest” with host Nick Gardner (1670 AM/104.9 or 105.7 FM). Curtis publicly reiterated his long-stated goal of moving Shasta County's ballot printing in-house, citing improved election security and significant cost savings.

According to Curtis, the County currently pays Runbeck approximately $350,000 per election for printing and mailing services. Bringing the process in-house would eventually reduce those expenses while giving the County full control and oversight — something that is currently lacking under the Runbeck contract.

Printed ballots awaiting mailing

Curtis noted during the broadcast that, under the current system, there is no direct oversight of who Runbeck mails ballots to or of exactly how many ballots are being produced and sent out. Runbeck, a company based in Arizona, caused a significant problem with defective ballots that Hart tabulating machines in Shasta County were unable to read during the November 2024 Presidential election. This was characterized as a "ballot overspray issue" with "invisible ink".

The proposed agreement contains only two narrow termination provisions:

• Termination for cause if Runbeck materially breaches the contract (with a 10-day cure period), and

• Immediate termination only if County funding becomes unavailable or is materially decreased.

  
  

There is no “termination for convenience,” “at-will,” or notice-based exit clause (such as 30-day or 90-day notice) that would let the County end the deal early to pursue in-house operations.

Gallardo warned that approving the contract on the Consent Calendar — where items are typically passed without discussion unless a supervisor specifically pulls them — could lock the County into the multi-year deal with no easy way out, even if the Registrar of Voters and the Board later decide to move printing in-house for security or fiscal reasons.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the Runbeck agreement at its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

This story is developing. Stay tuned for updates following Tuesday’s Board meeting.