Connecticut’s largest city, Bridgeport, could be headed for another mayoral election in February due to a shocking case of ballot harvesting in the recent Democratic primary. The incumbent mayor, Joe Ganim, faces the possibility of losing his job after a judge ruled that there was irrefutable evidence of irregular voting practices during the primary.
Ganim, who was re-elected in November, admitted that his campaign was linked to serious voting irregularities after video evidence emerged of one of his supporters dropping stacks of absentee ballots into a collection box. Connecticut’s laws regarding ballot collection are stringent, and the act of ballot harvesting is considered illegal.
As a result, voters in the city will have to go back to the polls next month for a redo of the Democratic primary. If Ganim fails to get the nomination, there will be another mayoral general election in February, with his opponent, John Gomes, eligible to participate as the Democratic nominee.
Ganim’s demand that Gomes admit to unlawful balloting behavior by his campaign has been met with a strong denial. Gomes claimed that the city had not been able to provide any evidence of wrongdoing on the part of his campaign or supporters, even after they were subpoenaed.
The defense did not compel testimony or introduce any relevant video evidence during the court hearing. The suit has been remarkable in alleging that Vice President Kamala Harris and the Secretary of State were implicated in the scheme.
Connecticut’s strict laws regarding ballot harvesting are aimed at upholding the integrity of the voting process, and it remains to be seen what consequences the perpetrators will face if found guilty. In the meantime, the controversy has thrown the political world in Connecticut into turmoil.
