Five Charged in Bridgeport Absentee Ballot Fraud Case

Five individuals, including prominent Democratic operatives in Bridgeport, Connecticut, were arrested on charges related to absentee ballot tampering during the 2023 mayoral primary. The arrests stem from allegations that they illegally possessed absentee ballots, misrepresented voting rules, and pressured voters. Wanda Geter-Pataky, a key figure in the case, was captured on surveillance video stuffing multiple ballots into a drop box, which sparked a civil lawsuit from her opponent, John Gomes, leading to a court-ordered rerun of the election. Incumbent Mayor Joe Ganim was initially declared the winner, but the controversy surrounding the absentee ballots raised significant concerns about election integrity. The Chief State's Attorney emphasized that voter fraud allegations will be taken seriously and that election tampering will not be tolerated in Connecticut. The defendants are facing a variety of charges, including fraudulent voting and possession of restricted ballots.