KQMS radio says Shasta County officials behind election ad pulled from the air

Shasta County officials were behind a radio advertisement that was pulled from the air last week after the county's administrative office raised concerns the ad asked people to send confidential voting information to a private individual, a KQMS representative said Monday.

It was the latest turn of events after the County Administrative Officed warned residents Friday about the ad's messaging. The county's statement sent out Friday left several questions unanswered, including who paid for the ad.

Officials with Redding radio station KQMS on Friday referred questions about the ad to Media Plus advertising agency owner Chris Zwaga, who would not say who paid for the spot. The county also did not say who paid for the ad or whose phone number residents were supposed to call.

In its statement, the County Administrative Office said, "However, it's crucial to note that this message is not from nor approved by the Shasta County Registrar of Voters, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors, or the Shasta County Elections Commission."

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KQMS on Monday posted on its website an attempt to clarify where the ad originated and who was behind it.

"It was a private number (on the ad) but there was concern that people would think they were calling a trusted authorized government agency, and they would provide private confidential information. The commercial was done by Supervisor Patrick Jones and Citizens Election Advisory Commission member Bev Gray, whose phone number was listed," according to the radio station's post.

On Monday afternoon, Jones vehemently denied being involved with the spot and demanded the Record Searchlight correct the information in the story about the radio ad. He said that he had nothing to do with the piece and insisted Gray wrote it and had it placed on the radio.

"Bev Gray, she wrote that ad. She sent the ad. That's it, so that they can't spin it any other way. They may not like me, that's fine. But that's incorrect," Jones said.

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Gray was appointed to the commission by Jones, who is seeking reelection in Tuesday's election.

The ad, which has since been pulled from the air, encouraged anyone who received ballots or other voting materials that did not belong to them or a member of their household to report it by calling a private individual's phone number.

The County Administrative Office's statement last Friday urged residents not to call the private number and instead contact the county registrar of voters office.

Joanna Francescut, assistant county registrar of voters, said information about ballots is confidential and her office, not a third party, needs to know if ballots are going to the wrong address.

"If someone receives a ballot that doesn't belong to that household, it needs to come back to our office, returned undeliverable by the post office, or just delivered to our office and say that the voter does not live here so that we can get that updated, fixed immediately," Francescut said last Friday.

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"We include (with ballots) a notice, as required by law, that says to save taxpayer dollars, if you receive this and this mailing does not belong to a member of the household, please return it back to your postal carrier," she said.

Monday's KQMS post also attempted to address any claims of elections improprieties that may have been implied by the ad.

"As far as election integrity, there has been no evidence presented in any forum that indicates any questionable conduct whatsoever within or involving the elections department. Any word to the contrary is merely rhetoric," the post says.

Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: KQMS radio says Shasta officials behind election ad pulled off the air