A Connecticut judge ordered the election of a new Democratic mayor in Bridgeport because surveillance footage showed several workers allegedly inserting absentee ballots into outdoor ballot boxes days before the primary.
In September, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim defeated challenger John Gomes by 251 votes out of 8,173 cast in the primary election, according to NBC.
However, Gomes released a video in October that appeared to show two women putting stacks of ballot papers into drop boxes at at least four locations across the city.
Superior Court Judge William Clark determined the amount of evidence left the court “unable” to decide the verdict for the state’s largest city.
“The number of ballots was mismanaged in such a way as to cast the outcome of the primary election into serious doubt and render the court unable to determine the valid vote,” Clark wrote in his decision on Wednesday.
Judge William Clark’s ruling came after surveillance video showed a woman inserting what appeared to be an absentee ballot into an outdoor ballot box days before the primary.AP
The judge ruled that an unusually large number of absentee ballots were cast in certain voting districts and that video evidence showing the alleged ballot stuffing violated state election laws.
“The video shocked the court and should have shocked all parties,” Clark wrote in his ruling.
Judge Clark ruled two women made up or were directly involved in 15 incidents of drop boxes being stuffed with ballot papers.
The Gomes campaign accused Wanda Geter-Pataky of being one of the women who was filmed stuffing the box.
Wanda Geter-Pataky watches a video of herself putting an absentee ballot into a ballot box at Superior Court in Bridgeport, Conn., on Oct. 13. 2023. AP
Geter-Pataky, a Ganim supporter and vice chair of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee, was questioned in court over his alleged actions, but exercised his Fifth Amendment rights and refused to answer questions.
Eneida Martinez, a former city councilor, was also questioned in court but would not answer questions about whether she appeared in a video showing election fraud.
Gomes — whose campaign obtained surveillance video and is suing the city over the decision — is demanding 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 upheld and Superior Court Judge William Clark agrees.”
Bridgeport police video shows Geter-Pataky placing an absentee ballot into a ballot box outside the Margaret Morton Government Center.AP
Clark’s decision comes just six days before Connecticut’s general election on Tuesday.
Voters will now have to return to their polling places following the state’s general election to elect a legitimate Democratic candidate, Clark said.
A new main date has not yet been set.
Joe Ganim testified 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 security camera footage did not prove anything illegal happened — citing “not a single voter” had testified about their ballots being mishandled.
All the allegations are for “vote harvesting” and not that the votes were doctored or rigged.
John Gomes speaks to supporters after a news conference at his campaign headquarters, on Sept. 18, 2023, in Bridgeport, Conn.AP
Ballot harvesting occurs when campaign workers or volunteers for a candidate meet with potential voters and talk them into filling out absentee ballots so they can use those ballots to put in a drop box or mail them.
Ganim — who denied any knowledge of wrongdoing — also accused Gomes’ campaign workers of violating voting rules.
“On both sides, there are videos of abuse. That is unacceptable. We all want everyone’s vote to count. We all want fair elections.”
The State Election Enforcement Commission is investigating the alleged ballot stuffing.
Under Connecticut law, voters who use a drop box must drop off their completed ballots themselves, or designate a specific family member, police, local election official or guardian to do it for them.
With Postal wire
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
