A Connecticut judge ordered a new Democratic primary for mayor in Bridgeport when surveillance footage showed several workers allegedly stuffing absentee ballots into an outdoor ballot box days before the original primary.
In September, current Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim defeated rival John Gomes by 251 votes out of 8,173 cast in the primary election, according to NBC.
However, Gomes posted a video in October that appeared to show two women stuffing stacks of ballots into mailboxes at at least four locations around the city.
Superior Court Judge William Clark determined that the amount of evidence left the court “unable” to determine the outcome for the state’s largest city.
“The volume of mismanaged votes is such that it places the outcome of the primary in serious doubt and leaves the court unable to determine the legitimate outcome of the primary,” Clark wrote in his Wednesday ruling.
Judge William Clark’s decision comes after surveillance videos showed a woman putting what appeared to be absentee ballots into an outdoor ballot box days before the original primary.
The judge ruled that an abnormally large number of absentee ballots were cast in certain precincts and that video evidence showing the alleged ballot stuffing violated state election law.
“The videos are shocking to the court and should be shocking to all parties,” Clark wrote in his ruling.
Judge Clark ruled that two women committed or were directly involved in 15 incidents in which mailboxes were overflowing with ballots.
Gomes’ campaign accused Wanda Geter-Pataky as one of the women who were filmed filling the boxes.
Wanda Geter-Pataky watches a video of her placing absentee ballots in election drop boxes at the Superior Court in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Oct. 13, 2023. AP
Geter-Pataky, a Ganim supporter and vice chairwoman of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee, was questioned in court about her alleged actions, but exercised her Fifth Amendment right and refused to answer questions.
Eneida Martínez, a former city council member, was also questioned in court, but did not answer questions about whether she appears in videos showing election fraud.
Gomes, whose campaign obtained the surveillance video and sued the city over the results, demanded a new primary.
“This is a victory for the people of Bridgeport,” Gomes said, according to ABC. “Our campaign has always believed that the integrity of our democratic process must be defended, and Superior Court Judge William Clark agreed.”
Bridgeport police video showing Geter-Pataky placing absentee ballots in a ballot drop box outside the Margaret Morton Government Center.AP
Clark’s ruling came just six days before Tuesday’s Connecticut general election.
Voters will now have to return to their polling places after the state’s general election to choose the legitimate Democratic candidate, Clark ruled.
The new date for the primaries has not yet been set.
Joe Ganim testifies during a hearing in Bridgeport Superior Court on Oct. 17, 2023, in Bridgeport, Conn. AP
Lamond Daniels and Republican David Herz are also running for mayor.
City officials’ defense argued that the security camera footage does not prove anything illegal occurred, citing that “not a single voter” has testified about the mishandling of their ballot.
All accusations concerned “vote harvesting” and not that the votes were manipulated or false.
John Gomes speaks with a supporter after a news conference at his campaign headquarters on Sept. 18, 2023, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.AP
Ballot harvesting occurs when a candidate’s campaign workers or volunteers meet with potential voters and convince them to fill out absentee ballots so they can use them to place in mailboxes or mail them.
Ganim, who denies knowledge of any irregularities, also accused Gomes campaign workers of violating voting rules.
“On both sides there are videos of the irregularities. That is not acceptable. We all want everyone’s vote to count. “We all want fair elections.”
The State Election Execution Commission is currently investigating allegations of vote stuffing.
Under Connecticut law, voters who use a collection box must deliver their completed ballots themselves or designate certain family members, police officers, local election officials or a caregiver to do so for them.
With postal cables
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Source: vtt.edu.vn