In a stunning development, five individuals, including top Democratic political figures in Connecticut’s largest city, have been arrested on charges of absentee ballot tampering linked to a 2023 local election. The scandal, which led to a court-ordered rerun of Bridgeport’s mayoral race, has intensified concerns over election integrity.
The arrests include prominent figures such as Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee Vice Chairperson Wanda Geter-Pataky and City Council members Alfredo Castillo, Maria Pereira, and Jazmarie Melendez. A fifth individual from Stratford was also charged, though details about her legal representation remain unclear.
Authorities allege that the defendants illegally possessed absentee ballots, improperly influenced voters, and misrepresented election rules. Previous complaints suggested that voters were pressured into selecting specific candidates.
Surveillance footage from the 2023 Democratic primary allegedly showed multiple individuals, including Geter-Pataky, stuffing absentee ballots into drop boxes. The footage, released by mayoral candidate John Gomes, raised national concerns and fueled widespread election security debates, particularly among right-wing groups promoting voter fraud narratives.
Gomes, who narrowly lost the primary to incumbent Joe Ganim, challenged the election results in court. A judge later ruled in favor of a new election, which Ganim ultimately won.
This isn’t the first time Geter-Pataky and Castillo have faced similar allegations; both were previously charged with absentee ballot-related offenses from the 2019 election.
Following their arrests, the defendants were released on a promise to appear in court on March 6. Geter-Pataky faces the most severe charges, including 42 counts of illegal possession of ballots, two counts of fraudulent voting, and 22 counts of misrepresentation of absentee voting rules. Castillo, Pereira, Melendez, and the Stratford woman face similar but fewer charges.
While some defendants, including Pereira, have vowed to fight the accusations, others, like Melendez, claim they are victims of political retribution.
This developing case has once again put election security under the microscope, raising questions about ballot integrity and the potential consequences of political misconduct.
