Next month, voters in Bridgeport will head back to the polls after a judge tossed out mayoral primary results over alleged misuse of absentee ballots.
Incumbent mayor Joe Ganim will once again take on John Gomes in a Democratic primary on Jan. 23.
Gov. Ned Lamont, quipped about the situation Wednesday night during a live taping of The Wheelhouse, saying absentee ballots are generally handled well in 黑料吃瓜网 鈥渄espite Bridgeport.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 a little bit of a history there that makes me nervous,鈥� Lamont said.
The State Elections Enforcement Commission has launched investigations into alleged absentee ballot abuse in the two most recent Bridgeport mayoral primary races in 2019 and this year. But, Lamont says the state is doing what it can to keep an eye on things.
鈥淲e have cameras there in each and every one of those voting boxes for absentee ballots, we have a special monitor down there, and I think Bridgeport wants to prove everyone wrong and show them that they can get it right,鈥� Lamont said.
Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim held a news conference Tuesday to acknowledge mishandling of absentee ballots by members of his campaign during a Democratic primary election held in September.
But, he also accused his opponent of fraud and one of his political allies against the Gomes campaign. Ganim鈥檚 call-out came after he said members of his campaign had been found by a court to have 鈥渆ngaged in serious voting irregularities.鈥�
Gomes, meanwhile, responded by calling Ganim鈥檚 comments a 鈥渄eflection.鈥�
The state will place an election monitor in Bridgeport for the primary. It鈥檒l also allow for absentee ballots to be stamped in an effort to trace their origins.
But according to CT Mirror Reporter Mark Pazniokas, there鈥檚 only so much state and local officials can do to preserve election results prior to a winner being declared.
鈥淣o law can be written to stop the bad behavior, but it can be written to make it easier to catch somebody and prosecute,鈥� Pazniokas said.
WFSB reporter Susan Raff underscored the need for enforcement, particularly in Bridgeport, but said the state overall holds secure elections.
鈥淏ridgeport was really one bad apple. All the primary elections and the general elections 鈥� things went fine.鈥�
Raff says the fact that cameras captured alleged ballot-stuffing, and that an investigation was borne from it, show thesystem in place to catch alleged fraud is working.
Panelist and Professor Bilal Sekou of the University of Hartford cautioned attendees against connecting the Bridgeport incident to some larger trend.
Sekou said so long as he鈥檚 lived in 黑料吃瓜网, he鈥檚 relied on 鈥渢he sun rising in the East, setting in the west, and Bridgeport having problems with its elections.鈥�
So, he鈥檚 not surprised by what鈥檚 happened there.
The Wheelhouse LIVE was taped in front of a live audience at 黑料吃瓜网 in Hartford on Dec. 6. The event will broadcast on the radio and stream online at 9 a.m. on Dec. 20.
