Last year, four Democratic officials involved in a mayoral race in Connecticut were arrested and charged with abusing absentee ballots.  The incident stems from a 2019 Democratic primary in Bridgeport, Connecticut’s largest city, which is unrelated to the controversial 2023 mayoral race in which a judge ordered a primary’s redo.

The individuals charged in connection to the incident are Wanda Geter-Pataky, a Democratic official in Bridgeport, Alfredo Castillo, a city councilor, Nilsa Heredia, and Josephine Edmonds. The charges brought against the four include unlawful possession of absentee ballots.  The defendants have not responded to inquiries from media outlets.

Connecticut officials hope the case sends a message to anyone considering to undermine election integrity that they will be held accountable by the law.  Patrick Griffin, Connecticut’s chief state’s attorney, said in a statement about the incident, “Integrity of our voting process is vital to our democracy.  I appreciate the attention and time the Statewide Prosecution Bureau put into these investigations.”

The state attorney continued, “I hope these prosecutions will send a message that deters tampering with election results in the future in Connecticut.”  The absentee ballot case in Bridgeport mirrors concerning conduct seen around the country in which numerous local officials have been arrested for misusing absentee ballots.

As the 2019 case was being investigated, further allegations of election misconduct were brought to light in Bridgeport in relation to a 2023 race. According to reports, surveillance footage had surfaced showing what appeared to be Geter-Pataky and other individuals improperly depositing ballots in drop boxes.  After reviewing the incident, determined that the primary’s integrity had been undermined and ordered a redo.

The State of Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice released a statement on the 2019 case, explaining the details of the incident.  “According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Geter-Pataky is accused of failing to sign as an assister on an absentee ballot application that she had filled out on behalf of a prospective voter and misrepresenting eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot when she reportedly told a citizen not to vote in person and that she would pick up the citizen’s absentee ballot. The citizen later told SEEC investigators that the defendant told her not to speak to anyone about the matter,” the statement read in part.

It further noted, “Court records show Heredia instructed prospective voters on which candidate to select on their absentee ballots and misrepresented eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot. The defendant admitted to SEEC investigators that she did not submit an absentee ballot distribution list to the City of Bridgeport Clerk’s Office.”

The statement concluded, “According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Castillo is accused of failing to maintain an absentee ballot distribution list, misrepresenting eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot and failing to sign as an assister on an absentee ballot application in August 2019. According to a deposition with the SEEC on October 21, 2021, Castillo denied helping the prospective voter fill out the application but later admitted he had filled out portions of the application. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Edmonds is accused of being present when four prospective voters filled out their absentee ballots and took possession of them when she left their home. She is also accused of failing to maintain an absentee ballot distribution list and tampering with a witness for having told her not to testify truthfully in court.”