Shasta Election Task Force and Citizen Intervenors Celebrate Major Court Victory
- Press Release
- Mar 26
- 2 min read
Judge Benjamin L. Hanna Dismisses Lawsuit – Measure B Will Remain on June 2, 2026 Ballot
REDDING, Calif. – March 26, 2026 – In his written ruling issued today, Judge Hanna found that Katske’s petition failed to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action and that pre-election judicial review of a qualified initiative is not appropriate. The dismissal clears the way for Measure B to remain on the June 2, 2026, ballot as certified by the Registrar of Voters.
Kari Chilson, one of the five citizen intervenors in case #26CV-0209919, issued the following statement after Shasta County Superior Court Judge Benjamin L. Hanna sustained their demurrer without leave to amend and dismissed Jennifer Katske’s entire petition: “Today’s ruling is a refreshing victory for We the People who care about election integrity for every voter in Shasta County. Today, We the People won.”
Shasta citizens poured thousands of volunteer hours gathering signatures to qualify Measure B — our Voter ID, hand-counted ballots, and absentee voting limits initiative — for the June ballot. When the Board of Supervisors refused to defend their own constituents, many dedicated Shasta residents came together and raised the thousands of dollars needed to protect the voting rights of over 100,000 voters while County Counsel stood silent. To learn more or donate to the Measure B election campaign, go to: Voteforb.com.
One person used classic lawfare — weaponizing a weak lawsuit to delay, exhaust, and intimidate citizens — in a blatant attempt to shut down the democratic initiative process. She did not even notify the intervenors of her many filings. The judge himself said Katske should have filed this lawsuit before more than 10,000 qualified voters signed the petition.
Attorney Alexander Haberbush responded, “Today’s ruling is a complete vindication of the rule of law and the integrity of the electoral process. This case was an attempt to short-circuit the democratic process, and it rightly failed. The voters of Shasta County will now have the opportunity to decide this measure for themselves. We’re proud to have defended that principle, and we’re ready to defend the will of the voters going forward.”
Media Contact:
Alexander Haberbush, Attorney for the Shasta Election Task Force and Intervenors
Lex Rex Institute
