Big Bend, California Public Records

Residents can register to vote online at https://registertovote.ca.gov, California's official voter registration portal, which allows new registrations and updates to existing registrations. California offers same-day conditional voter registration, allowing eligible citizens to register and vote provisionally on Election Day or during the early voting period. Standard voter registration must be completed at least 15 days before an election. To register, applicants must be U.S. Citizens, California residents, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not currently imprisoned or on parole for a felony conviction. No identification is required to register online if the applicant has a California driver's license or ID number. As an unincorporated community, Big Bend does not hold municipal elections for mayor, city council, or other city offices, since it has no incorporated city government. Residents participate in Shasta County elections, California state elections, and federal elections. County elections include races for the Shasta County Board of Supervisors (the community is in District 3), Sheriff-Coroner, District Attorney, Assessor, Auditor-Controller, Clerk-Recorder-Registrar of Voters, Treasurer-Tax Collector, and other county offices, most of which are elected in midterm years. State elections include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Senate, and State Assembly. The area is located in California State Assembly District 1 and State Senate District 1 as of the most recent redistricting. Voters can find their assigned polling location or vote center by using the polling place lookup tool at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place or by contacting the Shasta County Registrar of Voters. California has transitioned to the Voter's Choice Act model in many counties, including Shasta County, which replaced traditional precinct-based polling places with vote centers that are open for multiple days before Election Day and allow any registered voter in Shasta County to vote at any location. Vote centers typically open 10 days before Election Day and remain open through 8:00 PM on Election Day. California public election records include voter registration lists (available to campaigns and researchers under strict use restrictions), campaign finance reports filed by candidates and committees (searchable at http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov), candidate statements and filings, precinct-level election results, and ballot measure text and arguments. Shasta County posts certified election results, including results by precinct and vote center, at https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/registrar-of-voters. Individual voter history (which elections a person voted in, but not how they voted) is public but subject to access restrictions under California law. In the November 2024 presidential election, Shasta County reported approximately 64% voter turnout among registered voters, with strong support for Republican candidates. The county has trended heavily conservative in recent election cycles, with over 60% support for Republican presidential candidates in 2020 and 2024. The area has also been a center of election integrity activism and controversy, with debates over voting equipment and election procedures receiving significant attention. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026, general election, voters in Big Bend and throughout Shasta County will decide several important races. At the federal level, California will hold elections for all 52 U.S. House seats (the community is in California's 1st Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa, who is expected to seek re-election in 2026). At the state level, all 80 State Assembly seats and 20 of the 40 State Senate seats will be on the ballot; Assembly District 1 and Senate District 1 seats will both be contested. The Governor's office is not up for election in 2026 (next gubernatorial election is 2026), but other statewide constitutional offices including Attorney General, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Superintendent of Public Instruction will be on the ballot. At the Shasta County level, several Shasta County offices will be contested in 2026, including seats on the Board of Supervisors and various countywide elected officials, depending on term schedules. Local ballot measures addressing county governance, taxation, or policy issues may also appear. Candidate filing for the 2026 election begins in early 2026, with the primary election scheduled for June 2026 and the general election on November 3, 2026. California voters can request vote-by-mail (absentee) ballots online, by mail, or in person through the Shasta County Registrar of Voters. All registered voters in California automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot for each election under current state law, but voters may still choose to vote in person at a vote center if preferred. Vote-by-mail ballots are mailed to voters beginning 29 days before Election Day and must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the Shasta County elections office within seven days after Election Day to be counted. Voters can track their ballot status at https://wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.