Five individuals, including key Democratic political figures in Connecticut’s largest city, were apprehended on Friday over allegations of tampering with absentee ballots during a local election held in 2023. These accusations contributed to a court-ordered recount of the mayoral election and intensified concerns regarding voting integrity across the United States.
The charges suggest that the individuals involved in the Bridgeport case unlawfully possessed absentee ballots belonging to others, were present while voters completed their ballots, and misrepresented the rules regarding absentee voting to the electorate. Previous complaints submitted to state election enforcement officials claimed that some voters faced pressure to choose specific candidates while filling out their ballots.
Among those detained were Wanda Geter-Pataky, Vice Chair of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee, as well as City Council members Alfredo Castillo, Maria Pereira, and Jazmarie Melendez. Additionally, there was another arrest of a woman from Stratford, though details about her representation or contact information remain unavailable.
Both Geter-Pataky and Castillo had faced similar charges concerning absentee ballot offenses related to the 2019 election. During the latest election cycle, surveillance footage emerged that appeared to show individuals placing multiple absentee ballots into outdoor collection boxes during the Democratic primary. John Gomes, a Democratic candidate for mayor who narrowly lost to incumbent Joe Ganim in the September primary, accused Geter-Pataky of being one of those seen in the videos.
At a recent court session addressing the tampering allegations, two supporters of Ganim, including Geter-Pataky, invoked their Fifth Amendment rights and chose not to respond to inquiries. Ganim asserted that he had no knowledge of any malpractice.
The emergence of the videos, disclosed by Gomes, significantly raised questions concerning the security of elections in the United States and gained traction on far-right social media as well as among conservative media outlets. The situation in Bridgeport was frequently cited to support unfounded claims about election fraud during the 2020 presidential race, particularly regarding ballot drop boxes.
Gomes formally contested the 2023 primary results in court, and the additional evidence propelled a state judge to mandate a new primary and general election, both of which Ganim ultimately won.
The arrested officials did not respond promptly to inquiries sent on Friday. Geter-Pataky’s lawyer, John R. Gulash, stated that he hadn’t examined the arrest warrant and opted not to comment, while Castillo is expected to plead not guilty according to his lawyer, Frank Riccio II. Pereira’s attorney, Robert Frost, also declined to comment. Melendez’s lawyer, Alexander Taubes, issued a statement asserting that Melendez “categorically denies the baseless allegation” and contends she is a target of “political retribution.”
Geter-Pataky chose not to make any remarks outside the Bridgeport state police barracks, where the group reported after learning about the warrants issued for their arrests. Pereira, who backed Gomes, expressed confidence in winning her case but avoided discussing the accusations publicly.
All five individuals were released under non-bail agreements to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on March 6. Geter-Pataky faces numerous charges, including 42 counts of possessing restricted ballots and envelopes, two counts of fraudulent voting, and 22 counts of misrepresenting voting eligibility for absentee ballots.
The other arrested individuals, including Castillo, Pereira, Melendez, and another woman, were charged with similar offenses, although with fewer counts compared to Geter-Pataky.
Chief State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin stated that these prosecutions are intended to send a strong message against tampering with election outcomes in Connecticut.
Previously, in relation to the 2019 election, Geter-Pataky, Castillo, and two campaign volunteers were charged with unlawful possession of absentee ballots among other offenses. They allegedly manipulated the absentee ballot procedure during a primary election in which Ganim defeated state Senator Marilyn Moore by a mere 270 votes.
Prosecutors indicated that some of the defendants misinformed voters on eligibility for absentee ballots, directed voters on candidate preferences, were improperly present while ballots were filled, and violated procedures regarding absentee ballot applications and handling.
Those previous cases are still underway in the court system. Ganim, who first became mayor in 1991, served for 12 years before resigning due to a bribery and kickback scandal. After serving seven years behind bars for racketeering and extortion, he regained his position in 2015 and was re-elected in both 2019 and 2023.
