Five Democratic officials in Connecticut have reportedly been charged over accusations of committing voter fraud with mail-in ballots. The case involves prominent political figures in the blue state’s largest city, Bridgeport, stemming from an incident in a 2023 local election. Furthermore, accusations also led to a court-ordered redo of a mayoral election.
The case mirrors other election-related crimes seen in localities nationwide, further fueling concerns about election integrity, which Republicans have continually campaigned on restoring. The X news account Leading Report posted about the news on Tuesday, writing, “BREAKING: Five members of the Democratic Party in Bridgeport, Conn., and Philadelphia have been criminally charged with numerous counts of voter fraud at both the state and federal levels regarding mail-in ballots.”
According to the charges brought against the five defendants, voters’ absentee ballots were illegally possessed. Furthermore, the defendants are accused of being unlawfully present when the voters filled out the ballots and failed to accurately represent the absentee ballot rules. Complaints had been filed to state officials that some voters were pressured into selecting specific candidates.
Those arrested include Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee Vice Chairperson Wanda Geter-Pataky, Bridgeport Democratic City Council Members Alfredo Castillo, Maria Pereira, and Jazmarie Melendez. A fifth woman was arrested but her name is unavailable as of the latest reports. Moreover, Geter-Patakay and Castillo were charged with similar mail-in-ballot crimes related to a 2019 election.
Earlier this month, The American Tribune reported on the Bridgeport case when the defendants were arrested. Patrick Griffin, Connecticut’s chief state’s attorney, said in a statement about the case, “Integrity of our voting process is vital to our democracy. I appreciate the attention and time the Statewide Prosecution Bureau put into these investigations.” He added, “I hope these prosecutions will send a message that deters tampering with election results in the future in Connecticut.”
The State of Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice released a statement on the 2019 case involving Geter-Patakay and Castillo. “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 continued, “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.”
