Connecticut City Residents Head to 4th Mayoral Election Amid Allegations of Vote Fraud

BRIDGEPORT, Conn.—Bridgeport residents took to the polls for the fourth time today to determine who will be their mayor after allegations of fraud in previous elections and accusations of corruption under current Mayor Joe Ganim.

John Gomes has been challenging Mr. Ganim since Connecticut Superior Court Judge William Clark overturned last year’s Sept. 12 Democrat primary based on alleged evidence of fraud.

“We are in this situation because a judge ordered two new elections, and that’s because of corruption, voter suppression and civil rights violations,” Mr. Gomes told The Epoch Times. “So many voters feel disenfranchised. So, there is pretty much everything at stake.”

On Nov. 7, 2023, Mr. Ganim won the general election with 5,723 votes, while Mr. Gomes garnered 5,548 votes, and Republican candidate David Herz got 765 votes out of more than 13,000 ballots cast.

In January’s primary election, Mr. Ganim garnered 4,956 compared with 3,802 votes for Mr. Gomes.

If elected today, Mr. Gomes is vowing to execute a forensic audit to assess the financial stability or instability of the city.

“It’s about working with the community to re-energize, invigorate, and create hope not only for the employees of the city, but for the people,” Mr. Gomes said.

Mr. Ganim and Mr. Gomes are both Democrats. However, Mr. Gomes is running as an independent. This morning, he greeted voters, such as Maria Pires, at the John Winthrop Elementary School on Ekart Street.

Ms. Pires, 57, thinks the elections are safer but believes that there’s still room for fraudulent activity.

“Bridgeport needs change, and it was proven that the current administration facilitated absentee ballot fraud,” Ms. Pires said. “The state of Connecticut needs to change how absentee ballots are handled. There has to be control.”

Eileen Ciliberti, 73, wasn’t bothered about voting a fourth time but hopes today’s will be the last election.

She mentioned that taxes have been low under Mr. Ganim.

“I think John Gomes had a reason to question the last elections,” Ms. Ciliberti told The Epoch Times. “I think everything should be questioned, and there was a do-over, but Mr. Gomes didn’t win. I hope he accepts the election this time if he doesn’t win.”

Floret Clark, 58,  thinks the elections were secure the previous three times.

“I don’t know why they are going a fourth time,” Ms. Clark told The Epoch Times. “As far as I know, the mayor is doing a good job. They love the current mayor. He’s doing good.”

Rudolph Riley, 60, who has voted all four times, is tired of elections, but he took time off from work to vote again at Wilbur Cross Elementary School on Reservoir Avenue.

“I came out to support my candidate,” Mr. Riley told The Epoch Times. “The roads are very bad. We’re looking for better things. It’s time for a change.”

April Gonzalez, 50, is a registered Republican who wasn’t able to vote in the primary.

“This is my first time voting,” Ms. Gonzalez told The Epoch Times. “I’m choosing the lesser of two evils at this point. I think Bridgeport’s really due for a change. There’s not a lot of transparency of what’s going on and not a lot of explanations for what’s transpired with some of the things people are questioning.”

Bridgeport has 42,000 Democrats, 22,000 unaffiliated voters, and 4,700 Republicans.

Republican candidate David Herz, who was on the ballot in November 2023 and is on the ballot now, was also campaigning at Winthrop Elementary School.

“It’s difficult to navigate the bureaucracy in Bridgeport.” Mr. Herz told The Epoch Times. “Things run slower, and there are entrenched bureaucracies. Getting rid of the current mayor is an opportunity for the next mayor to clean house to get the parts that aren’t working out, whether that’s me or Gomes.”

For example, Bridgeport is the largest city in the state, with a population of 148,000. However, there is no hotel within the city limit of Bridgeport.

If elected, Mr. Herz says he would start by repurposing Bridgeport’s former manufacturing spaces.

“We have hundreds of small manufacturers,” he told The Epoch Times. “What do we do to incentivize bringing business back to Bridgeport?”

Mr. Ganim held a press conference at Wilbur Cross Elementary School while greeting voters.

He called the election challenging but was hopeful because of the sunny weather.

“It’s a rarity to have an election in February, but the Lord has blessed us in that way with a beautiful day, and I see that as an encouragement,” Mr. Ganim told The Epoch Times.