Voters have their say | Newsom, Dahle advance | Low turnout in Butte County

By Sarah Bohannon,

Published June 8, 2022 at 8:44 AM PDT

The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Wednesday, June 8.

North State voters cast their ballots in California’s primary election

Tuesday was Election Day in California’s primary election and voters across the North State showed up at the polls to cast their votes. Ken Brydon of Chico cast his ballot at the city’s Masonic Family Center. He said he came out to vote because he feels it is his civic duty.

“I found it necessary after serving many many years in prison,” he said. “I wanted to be accountable and do my own personal duties as far as … a citizen of this particular country in this particular area.”

Brydon said he’d like to see a more rehabilitative process in the criminal justice system, while some others at the polls voiced their major concerns as gun control, women’s rights and the economy. Listen to reactions from Butte County voters in today’s Headlines.

— Ken Devol and Adia White, NSPR

Butte County sees low voter turnout; unofficial results show Lucero, Ritter leading supervisor contests

Officials in Butte County say Tuesday’s election turnout was unusually low.

Six hours before polls closed, the county had only received about 23% of the 124,000 ballots that were sent out.

Voters in districts 2 and 3 decided their county supervisor. Unofficial results show incumbent supervisors Debra Lucero and Tami Ritter leading their races. Butte County Clerk-Recorder Candace Grubbs said there weren't many other high-stakes elections on the ballot.

"We don't have any real outstanding issues in Butte County. We don't have any majors on the ballot. What we do have is two supervisor races … So yes, it is slower,” Grubbs said.

Grubbs said the majority of voters had voted by mail. The county will begin the process of counting and certifying votes in the coming days.

— Alec Stutson, NSPR

Mail-in ballots expected to roll in over the coming days

Shasta County Clerk and Registrar of Voters Cathy Darling Allen said her office will continue to release numbers during this time.

"We will add in as the precinct workers bring their totals to us,” she said. “Those will get added into the total. Until we are done."

She said her office will begin validating signatures today. They’ll also be holding online open-house briefings covering the county’s election results at 3 p.m. every weekday through June 17.

The Secretary of State of California won’t officially certify the election until July 15. Until then, NSPR will continue to track unofficial election results, including local races.

— Alec Stutson, NSPR

Results show Kiley, Jones may face off in state’s 3rd Congressional District

Congressional races were on the primary ballot in Tuesday’s election, including California’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes Plumas County and portions of Yuba County.

Democrat Kermit Jones is a Navy veteran and doctor from Roseville. Based on unofficial results, he’ll face off against GOP Assemblymember Kevin Kiley in the newly redrawn district.

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones appears to be knocked out of the running in the district, which stretches from north of Lake Tahoe to Inyo County.

— CapRadio Staff

HIV prevention setbacks during pandemic

COVID-19 and the lockdowns associated with it have caused setbacks in prevention against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). If not treated, HIV infection can lead to AIDS.

Monica Gandhi is the Director of the Center for Aids Research at UC San Francisco. She said not only is testing for HIV down, but so is the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP).

“Which is this ability of those at risk for HIV to just take a simple pill every day,” she said. “Now we even have an injectable twice every eight weeks to prevent HIV infection.”

A report in the medical journal, The Lancet, also showed COVID-19 patients with HIV were 38% more likely to die than those without HIV. Listen to the full interview.