BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — There are new developments in the Bridgeport primary mayoral race as the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) expands its investigation to include 15 additional complaints made by the campaign of John Gomes for Mayor.
It comes on the heels of a new video surfacing showing more drops into the city’s absentee ballot boxes - this time, by Gomes supporters.
The newly leaked video posted on the political blog Daily Ructions shows drops at the two absentee ballot boxes outside of the city’s fire houses on Boston Ave and Ocean Terrace. Mayor Joe Ganim campaign’s claims it shows the hypocrisy of his opponent’s campaign.
”You cannot have videos of your campaign workers stuffing ballot boxes and then complain about ballot irregularities when you lose,” the Ganim campaign said in a statement.
The Gomes campaign said the claims against them are all smoke and mirrors to deflect attention from the real crimes they allege were committed by the Ganim campaign.
“We're tired of what we have seen transpire before us and that’s a true act of corruption and conspiracy to steal our election,” said Gomes.
In regards to the video, Gomes told FOX61 he has identified and spoken with the supporters depicted. He claims the video shows nothing illegal.
“They not only voted for themselves. But they voted for family members and that information can be supported with affidavits and documentation when requested,” said Gomes.
Meanwhile, the SEEC voted unanimously on Wednesday to take new complaints under their investigative umbrella.
In the complaints, obtained by FOX61, there is an accusation that the Ganim campaign told a man who wasn’t a U.S. citizen that he could vote.
An additional complaint includes photos of a Ganim campaign canvasser allegedly, “holding onto a ballot…while the resident is filling it out.” It also allegedly shows that same canvasser leaving a senior housing complex with what the complaint alleges is, “a bag full of ballots.”
Gomes’ campaign manager Christine Bartlett-Josie denies any impropriety.
“They went in. Didn’t have anything and then came out with something,” she said. “So we found it suspicious.”
FOX61 got an exclusive look Thursday inside the Gomes campaign evidence examination operation. It's a near 24/7 effort to identify absentee ballot irregularities. The campaign is sorting through more than 10,000 documents and more than 2,000 hours of ballot box surveillance video that was obtained through a subpoena.
The evidence was eventually turned over to the Gomes campaign, despite initial opposition via a motion to quash that was filed by the city of Bridgeport. City attorneys claimed the evidence could jeopardize the already ongoing criminal investigations by the Bridgeport Police Department.
The public will be able to see the results of that evidence gathering when a civil suit court case resumes on Oct 12. A Bridgeport judge will ultimately decide whether or not there is enough evidence to overturn the primary results and order a new election.
The Ganim campaign told FOX61 they continue to support and call for election integrity measures including supervised absentee balloting and election monitoring. The campaign also told FOX61 they have distributed a list of absentee ballot rules to their volunteers, staff, and candidates.
Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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