Connecticut residents are advised to cast their votes in person due to an increase in voter fraud reports. On Monday, Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas (D) issued a statement emphasizing the importance of in-person voting amid rising concerns about absentee ballots. NBC Connecticut shared an excerpt from Thomas’ statement, which stated:
“Our monitors cannot do it all, and we encourage anyone who can do so to vote in person on January 23rd.”
“If someone voted by absentee ballot, but is unsure if they should have done so, they may withdraw their absentee ballot by going in person to the Town Clerk’s office before 10 a.m. on Election Day, and they may then vote at their assigned polling place.”
Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas is urging voters to vote in person for Bridgeport’s upcoming mayoral primary redo. https://t.co/0bGEYlNOgO pic.twitter.com/3MJOCzPmTv
— WTNH News 8 (@WTNH) January 9, 2024
The CT Examiner noted that Connecticut’s state leaders seek to increase worker presence at Jan. 23 Primary election sites. Despite these efforts, Thomas emphasizes that “election officials monitoring the Bridgeport elections cannot do it all.”
This unusual statement and measures stem from a recent controversy involving a Democrat primary race, where evidence suggested incumbent mayor Joe Ganim sought to secure the election through absentee ballots. During the race, Ganim trailed challenger John Gomes by just 487 votes in the final hours. However, as reported by ABC 7 NY, Ganim declared himself the winner by 251 votes the next morning, raising suspicions about the addition of questionable absentee ballots to the tally.
We've seen the video, and now we know who it was stuffing a bag full of ballots into a ballot box:
— 𝘿𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙧 (@DonGP4037) September 21, 2023
"A video obtained by the Gomes campaign allegedly shows a city employee and Mayor Joe Ganim supporter stuffing white envelopes into an absentee ballot drop box."
"Bridgeport, CT:… pic.twitter.com/1oH8Xu1rV2
Following an investigation, Superior Court Judge William Clark concluded that “the trustworthiness of the election result is significantly questionable” and subsequently declared the election results null and void.
Clark stated: “The volume of ballots so mishandled is such that it calls the results of the primary election into serious doubt and leaves the court unable to determine the legitimate result of the primary.”
As per The CT Examiner, Sec. Thomas granted authorization for two election monitors to oversee early voting at the Town Clerk’s office. These monitors have been collaborating with election staff on a daily basis since December 29.
