Bridgeport mayoral candidate John Gomes said he has evidence of absentee ballot fraud in the city’s Sept. 12 Democratic primary and wants state officials to stop the certification of the election.
Surveillance video allegedly shows a person repeatedly putting items in a mail-in ballot box at Bridgeport City Hall a few days before the primary, Gomes said.
“It brings to question the pattern and what other events have taken place,” he said at a press briefing at his campaign headquarters on Monday.
“There is no question in our mind that Wanda Geter-Pataky is the person in the video,” said Christine Bartlett-Josie, Gomes' campaign manager.
Wanda Geter-Pataky is a city employee and one of three 2019 Ganim campaign workers that state election enforcement officials have recommended criminal charges be considered in connection with the mishandling of absentee ballots four years ago.
Gomes' campaign is also seeking a court injunction, an investigation by the state police, and a rerun of the primary.
“This step is essential to prevent tainted results from being finalized,” Bartlett-Josie said.
Connecticut's Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said she can not authorize a second primary; only a judge can make that decision. She also does not have the jurisdiction to investigate claims of election fraud.
The Gomes campaign has filed multiple complaints with the State Elections Enforcement Commission, which has the authority to investigate.
Thomas said she hopes they will take the case.
“If they need additional resources to speed up this timeline, I urge the state to provide them," Thomas said. "We have no authority to investigate criminal matters. I understand that the Bridgeport Police are investigating the videotape. And again, I urge a quick and thorough investigation.”
The commission is expected to announce on Wednesday if they are taking any action.
Thomas also said absentee voting in the state is safe and not to blame for the potential fraud.
“We are seeing the same names associated with the 2019 case mentioned again," Thomas said. "And ironically, you may recall, we did not have absentee ballot drop boxes in 2019. So it feels to me that it's allegedly just the case of a few bad actors.”
In a statement, Mayor Joe Ganim said he does not condone any actions taken by anyone including his campaign, city or elected officials which undermine the integrity of the electoral process and city property.
Bridgeport Police are investigating the matter.
This is the second time in four years that Ganim has won the Democratic primary for mayor based on the absentee ballot count.
