EAST LYME, Conn. — A registered voter from East Lyme was arrested on Election Day for causing a scene and intimidating others at multiple polling locations.
East Lyme police say David Godbout, 61, was charged with disorderly conduct and violating conditions of release. He was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon before being released later that day.
East Lyme town employee Mary Smith reports that Godbout is a registered voter and showed up at his polling place at East Lyme High School. However, he would not provide his ID to poll workers. He also reportedly refused to sign an affidavit that would allow him to vote without an ID.
Smith says Godbout then went to the community center – another polling site – to complain, where he falsely claimed that the Girl Scouts were not allowed to sell cookies there. Godbout also allegedly argued that officials wanted to strip search him when asking for his ID, Smith says, which was not true.
As Godbout continued arguing, Smith claims he got close to her, which made her feel intimidated. The police were then called.
The disorderly conduct charge Godbout received is a slight step up from breach of peace.
East Lyme police say that Godbout has a history of incidents with town employees and that he was arrested in January. A condition of his release was not harassing town employees, which he violated on Tuesday.
The police department confirmed that Godbout originally showed up at the high school to vote, was very disruptive, yelled at teens with signs and pestered state Sen. Martha Marx (D-New London). Nick Menapace – another candidate who was there – had to intervene.
Godbout was arrested at the community center. According to East Lyme police, he is well known to the department and has disrupted multiple public meetings in the past.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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