{"id":2206589,"date":"2024-03-26T13:55:03","date_gmt":"2024-03-26T17:55:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/connecticut-elections-chief-reports-suspicious-activity-in-do-over-race-after-judge-overturned-primary\/"},"modified":"2024-03-26T13:58:53","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T17:58:53","slug":"connecticut-elections-chief-reports-suspicious-activity-in-do-over-race-after-judge-overturned-primary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/connecticut-elections-chief-reports-suspicious-activity-in-do-over-race-after-judge-overturned-primary\/","title":{"rendered":"Connecticut Elections Chief Reports \u2018Suspicious Activity\u2019 In Do-Over Race After Judge Overturned Primary"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fconnecticut-elections-chief-reports-suspicious-activity-in-do-over-race-after-judge-overturned-primary%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2206589&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Connecticut mayoral\u2064 race in \u2063Bridgeport faces renewed scrutiny due to allegations of fraud and irregularities. Mayor \u200dJoe Ganim&#8217;s victory in the primary and subsequent general election is overshadowed \u200cby suspicions\u200d of ballot tampering and potential violations. The State Elections Enforcement Commission is investigating reports of suspicious activities, raising concerns about the electoral process&#8217;s\u2064 integrity.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<figure>                         <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A Connecticut mayoral race marred by allegations of fraud is once again under scrutiny after the secretary of state asked the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) to look into \u201csuspicious activity\u201d and other \u201cpotential violations\u201d in the town\u2019s latest mayoral election.   <\/p>\n<p>Bridgeport Democrat Mayor Joe Ganim won a do-over primary in January and then the general election in February. A judge <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/11\/02\/judge-overturns-bridgeport-mayoral-election-due-to-evidence-of-mail-ballot-fraud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">overturned<\/a> the original primary results after evidence appeared to show Ganim\u2019s affiliates \u201cstuffing ballot boxes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During the September primary, Ganim was losing to John Gomes by hundreds of votes but ended up 251 votes ahead after absentee ballots came flooding in. Video footage later emerged that appeared to show two Democrats affiliated with Ganim shoving ballots into drop boxes, a violation of state law that stipulates a \u201cvoter must personally mail or personally return the ballot for it to be counted\u201d with limited exceptions for household relatives.<\/p>\n<p>Superior Court Judge William Clark <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/11\/02\/judge-overturns-bridgeport-mayoral-election-due-to-evidence-of-mail-ballot-fraud\/\">ruled<\/a> \u201cthe volume of ballots so mishandled is such that it calls the result of the primary election into serious doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ctpost.com\/news\/article\/ganim-gomes-election-bridgeport-february-18689673.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">general election<\/a> was still held on Nov. 7 because Clark said he lacked the authority to change it but a second primary was ordered to be held in January along with a new general election in February. Ganim won all three subsequent races. <\/p>\n<p>But even the do-over appears to have possibly been compromised. <\/p>\n<p>Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas wrote in a letter to the State Elections Enforcement Commission that election monitors who were overseeing the general election found multiple instances of potential election violations. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cEight voters out of 63 \u2026 indicated during spot check calls that they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/runbeck-election-systems-teamed-up-with-dominion-voting-systems-in-georgia-election-pallets-of-companys-ballots-found-in-fulton-county-warehouse\/\" title=\"Runbeck Election Systems Teamed Up with Dominion Voting Systems in Georgia Election \u2014 Pallets of Company\u2019s Ballots Found in Fulton County Warehouse\">received absentee ballots<\/a> despite not requesting them,\u201d the letter states. <\/p>\n<p>Another voter \u201cindicated during a spot check call that someone came to his house to help him, had him sign some paperwork, and then took his ballot away,\u201d the letter continued, adding that a City of Bridgeport employee alleged \u201ca campaign was offering cash in return for completed absentee ballots\u201d and that there were \u201cfour incidents of suspicious activity at drop boxes suggestive of absentee ballot irregularities, three apparently involving one person.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>[READ NEXT: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/03\/12\/connecticut-governor-wants-to-give-noncitizens-ids-that-look-exactly-like-those-used-to-vote\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Connecticut Governor Wants To Give Noncitizens IDs That Look Exactly Like Those Used To Vote<\/strong><\/a><strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Of the four \u201csuspicious\u201d incidents, three allegedly involved an unidentified man who was \u201cwearing a hoodie to conceal his identity\u201d but was seen on camera \u201cdropping multiple ballots into drop boxes at two different locations\u201d days before the February race, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.courant.com\/2024\/03\/15\/ct-secretary-of-the-state-files-bridgeport-election-complaint-with-seec\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hartford Courant<\/a> reported. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs you are aware, this office has very limited jurisdiction to review the activity detailed in the attached and no investigatory powers,\u201d Thomas <a href=\"https:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/24483390-2024-03-15-13-42\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote<\/a>. \u201cTherefore, I am bringing these matters to your attention in the event that they are within the jurisdiction of the State Elections Enforcement Commission.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/portal.ct.gov\/SOTS\/Press-Releases\/2024-Press-Releases\/Secretary-Thomas-Announces-New-Referrals-to-State-Elections-Enforcement-Commission\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a>, Thomas said \u201creferrals are not proof of wrongdoing, but an important step to ensure that our elections are secure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur office is committed to doing what we can to ensure that not just Bridgeport\u2019s citizens trust the elections process, but all of Connecticut does. Two bills have been introduced in the General Assembly, which include our proposals to close loopholes observed by our election monitors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Connecticut House Government Administration and Elections Committee introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cga.ct.gov\/asp\/cgabillstatus\/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&#038;which_year=2024&#038;bill_num=5498\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HB 5498<\/a>, which would \u201crequir[e] the surveillance of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republicans-urge-dismissal-of-doj-lawsuit-against-georgia-election-law\/\" title=\"House Republicans Urge Dismissal Of DOJ Lawsuit Against Georgia Election Law\">absentee ballot drop boxes<\/a> and retention of the footage \u2026 limit[] who may apply for replacement absentee ballots; and reduc[e] the window of availability of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-suspicious-elections-absentee-data-from-detroit-36-of-absentee-ballots-returned-were-from-people-who-were-not-listed-as-being-sent-an-absentee-ballot\/\" title=\"More Suspicious Elections Absentee Data from Detroit: 36% of Absentee Ballots Returned Were From People Who Were Not Listed as Being Sent an Absentee Ballot\">absentee ballot applications<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>   Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Connecticut mayoral race marred by allegations of fraud is once again under scrutiny after the secretary of state asked the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) to look into \u201csuspicious activity\u201d and other \u201cpotential violations\u201d in the town\u2019s latest mayoral election. Bridgeport Democrat Mayor Joe Ganim won a do-over primary in January and then the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":2206590,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Ballot_Drop_Box-2-e1711464897166.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2206589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Ballot_Drop_Box-2-e1711464897166.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2206589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2206589"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2206589\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2206590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2206589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2206589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2206589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}