What’s a Bridgeport election without absentee ballot action for the August 13 primaries.
Roughly 1,200 absentee applications have been submitted to the Town Clerk’s Office for processing as of Thursday with more to come. Most of the activity comes from the 23rd Senatorial where freshman incumbent Herron Gaston faces a primary from City Councilman Ernie Newton who’s trying to regain the seat he relinquished 20 years ago following his conviction on public corruption charges.
The district covers about two thirds of Bridgeport and western Stratford.
Meanwhile, politicians aren’t the only ones door knocking. Law enforcement investigators are actively knocking on doors in Bridgeport, particularly those of seniors citizens, asking about potential absentee ballot abuses as part of ongoing criminal probes, according to multiple sources.
In addition, the fire-and-ice contrast between insurgent City Councilwoman Eneida Martinez and and low-key funeral home director, State House incumbent Andre Baker, is drawing plenty of absentee action. The 124th Assembly District includes the heavily East Side and East End Beardsley, Dunbar, Harding and JFK precincts.
On the other side of the city, four candidates are vying to replace a retiring Marilyn Moore in the Bridgeport, Trumbull, Monroe 22nd District – law school professor Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, former Mayor Bill Finch, City Councilman Scott Burns and ex councilman Tyler Mack. The absentee activity (roughly 200), for now, is much more understated, in part because sizably less voters in the Bridgeport portion of the district.
The League of Women Voters is hosting a debate for the Democratic candidates in the 22nd State Senate seat, August 1, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Trumbull Library 33 Quality Street.
Early voting will take place August 5th – 11th. In Bridgeport, the Margaret Morton Government Center, Stratford, Baldwin Center, Trumbull and Monroe their respective town halls.
