Inmate qualified to run as candidate for Garberville Fire Protection District

 

This is breaking news and reported here first. The deadline for candidate filing for the Uniform District Election just closed at 5 p.m. today.  Usually these positions are uncontested. For the first time, there will be an election and it is for one of the positions for the Garberville Fire Protection District. Christopher Brackett is an inmate who is currently in custody at the Humboldt jail. He has qualified to run as a candidate. As long as you live in the area and do not have a felony record,you are eligible.

The other two candidates are Kent Scown and

Babette Johnson.

Brackett does have a 2021 DUI case which  with felony charges but it is still an open case with no conviction. Brackett waived preliminary hearing in that case. Trial confirmation is on 8/23; jury trial on 9/5. He has two other 2021 cases which are closed. His prior convictions are addressed in the open case. A google search shows an arrest in Willits in 2021 and Humboldt jail log record in June 2023. 

Humboldt County Elections Administrative Analyst Christina Strevey told me, "The Garberville Fire Protection District is the only district going to election this November.There are two seats available and there were three candidates who filed.

Kent Scown

Babette Johnson

Christopher Brackett

 

The election will be vote for 2, the candidates with the most votes will be the new board members.

As for Mr Brackett’s record, currently he qualifies as a candidate for the board. He is an active registrant with a residential address of record in Garberville Fire Protection District.

 If he had a felony record and was incarcerated in a State or Federal Prison or was convicted of a felony and awaiting transfer from a county facility to a State or Federal Prison, his voter registration would have been denied at the Secretary of State’s Office and he would not qualify as a board candidate.'

8/23: At trial confirmation, receipt of plea report continued to 8/29. Additional time needed to prepare report.