Options considered for Registrar of Voters Darling Allen's successor. What the law says

With Cathy Darling Allen’s unexpected announcement last week that she is retiring as county clerk and registrar of voters after two decades in office, how will her replacement be chosen?

Shasta County officials did not have the answer as of Monday afternoon.

“We are still working to identify all options and process details for appointing Cathy Darling Allen’s successor. This may take some time, but I will be sure to let you know once we have pinpointed those details,” county public information officer David Maung wrote in an email to the Record Searchlight.

California government code 25304.5 gives supervisors the authority to fill a vacancy of a county elected official. The person appointed would hold office for the unexpired term or until the first Monday after Jan. 1 after the next general election, which is Nov. 7, 2024, per the law.

Darling Allen’s last day is May 5.

Supervisors in recent years have had to fill elected positions due to retirements or resignations.

Nearly three years ago, supervisors had to decide how to replace Sheriff Eric Magrini, who had recently resigned.

They voted 4-1 to appoint Michael Johnson sheriff rather than wait for the next election. Then Undersheriff Jason Barnhart had been filling in for Magrini before Johnson’s appointment.

In voting to hire Johnson in July 2021, District 4 Supervisor Patrick Jones dissented, saying appointing somebody sheriff before the next election, in this case June 2022, would not allow the public to have a voice in the decision. Jones also argued back then that problems in the sheriff’s department stemmed from supervisors appointing Magrini to the sheriff’s position in December 2019 after Sheriff Tom Bosenko retired.

District 3 Supervisor Mary Rickert also was on the board in July 2021, and she voted to appoint Johnson sheriff. She, too, was on the board in December 2019 when supervisors unanimously voted to appoint Magrini sheriff.

“I think we will follow whatever process that is set out in policy and procedure and whatever the statute is,” Rickert said of Darling Allen’s successor.

“It’s not going to be for a while. I want to remind people that Cathy Darling Allen is in that position until the month of May,” Rickert added.

Rickert pointed out that supervisors waited until after Magrini resigned to appoint Johnson.

However, Magrini was appointed by supervisors in December 2019, two weeks before Bosenko retired.

District 4 Supervisor Jones did not return a phone message seeking comment.

District 1 Supervisor Kevin Crye, who chairs the board of supervisors, said in an email to the Record Searchlight: "Staff is working on collecting the policy and procedures and will present them when that work is complete."

Joanna Francescut, assistant county clerk and registrar of voters, declined to say if she would be interested in succeeding Darling Allen.

“I really don’t want to talk about that. In the future I can talk about it. I just have been really focused on the (March 5) election,” Francescut said Monday.

Darling Allen announced last Friday that she was retiring in May due to health concerns.

She said she was diagnosed with heart failure and part of her recovery is reducing stress.

“As many election officials could probably tell you right now, that’s a tough ask to balance with election administration in the current environment. I feel strongly that my family must be my priority at this time. They have already sacrificed so much, and I must repay that investment by retiring and focusing on my health,” she said in a news release.

Darling Allen overwhelmingly won reelection in June 2022 when nearly 7 of 10 voters endorsed her as she easily defeated challenger Bob Holsinger.

“Just complete sadness,” District 2 Supervisor Tim Garman said of Darling Allen’s decision. “You know, she’s an expert on her job. It’s going to be hard to recover from that. Hopefully, we get somebody that will be just as good.”

The Shasta County Board of Supervisors' next public meeting is 9 a.m. Tuesday.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter, @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: What are Shasta County's options to replace Registrar Darling Allen?