A cloudy voting day turned into another murky result Tuesday night for the Democratic primary for City Council in the 133rd District after a state court judge ordered a new vote following a dubious absentee ballot that found its way into a September recount. Unofficial results show endorsed candidates Michael DeFilippo and incumbent Jeanette Herron leading, but a recount looms because former State Rep. Bob Keeley is within 20 votes.
Unofficial results including absentee ballots; DeFilippo 240, Herron 230, Keeley 212, Anne Pappas Phillips 168. A recount is scheduled for Thursday 10 a.m.
Machine totals; DeFilippo 187, Herron 189, Keeley 180, Pappas Phillips 138.
Absentee votes; DeFilippo 53, Herron 41, Keeley 32, Pappas Phillips 30.
Following the September 12 primary incumbent councilwoman Herron and Keeley were knotted at 170 votes. The recount produced a one-vote lead for Herron via a previously uncounted absentee ballot. Keeley filed a court challenge and a new election was ordered by Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis.
Michael DeFilippo was the leading vote producer in the September primary. The two candidates with the most votes go on to the general election. Anne Pappas Phillips ran with Keeley.
The Republican candidates in the district are Michele Minutolo and Neville De la Rosa. The general election for the council district will take place Dec. 12.
So a recount will take place on Thursday. If the results hold up with DeFilippo and Herron the winners, one option for the Keeley campaign operation is challenging the authenticity of his opponents absentee ballot votes in court. Ya never know.
Still, Keeley was defeated on the machines, as has been a regular occurrence since he was lanced in a primary for his old State House seat in 2008 by Auden Grogins, now a Superior Court judge. Keeley also lost State House race special elections in 2011 and 2015.
Blackham precinct:
DeFilippo 140
Herron 135
Keeley 118
Pappas Phillips 88
Madison precinct:
DeFilippo 47
Herron 54
Keeley 62
Pappas Phillips 50
Go Bob.
Yes, please go away. This turkey has been a fly and leech on the political scene much too long.
As usual, a dubious absentee operation was run. So don’t count your chickens (yet).
Recount! Recount!!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fQaavQNGsMY
Looks like Keeley cut Pappas at Blackham. Why would Keeley bother to challenge the AB’s–He had AB’s too and lost on the machines. According to a comment he made on that fb discussion we had a few days ago, Keeley is on the hook for some lawyer’s fee. Is he willing to risk a bigger legal bill.
Steven Auerbach told me he is willing to have a fundraiser to cover Bob’s legal bill.
BTW, Steven Auerbach asked me to relay this message: I hope that all you Keeleyrats will shut your Lippos up.
I was in Madison School and observed the lack of voters and interest all during the school day. From my observation of the tally on the tabulation machine only about 12 votes were cast from 2 pm until polls closed at 8.
BTW—the real losers were the students who were denied loss of their cafeteria for the day. They were fed cold field trip meals while made to eat lunch sitting on the gym floor. This will be repeated on the repeat general Election Day. There has got to be a better wsy
Denied use, not denied loss. Sorry
Elections are important but let’s not lose sight of the blogospheric community. When is Paul Griffith aka Local Eyes the coolest dude in Bridgeport? The answer is below.
Rumor Mill:
It was at a crowded press conference in Florence when the ghost of Machiavelli was asked the same question.
At once, he looked to the sky, lowered his head, smiled, leaned into the microphone and said anytime he enters the city limits.
Rumor Mill:
Local Eyes is a pretender to “the coolest dude in town,” not a contender.
Why are Herron and DeFilippo dressed up?
Is it a campaign brochure or a wedding announcement???
Or maybe an ad for Dancing With The Stars – Bridgeport Edition.
Di Phillipo’s photo must have been taken while he was working slinging booze for Mario.
Groundhog day all over again???
Groundhog day all over again!!!
Recount
Back to court
Reelection all over again
Keep on doing it till we get it rifght!!!
R-I-G-H-T
Police Chief Armando Perez confirmed Tuesday that he has put Sgt. Chris Robinson on paid suspension.
“He put out an email to the entire Police Department criticizing a directive I put out so I have suspended him for a while so that he can think about it,” Perez said.
HE SUSPENDED HIM WITH PAY!!!!!
WHAT IS HE GOING TO THINK ABOUT!!! HOW TO GET MORE GIGS LIKE THIS?
Why is Sgt. Chris Robinson on paid suspension? Cief Perez can put Sgt. Chris Robinson without pay on suspension, especially if he violated any policy or procedure or have the Police Commission put him suspension without pay until the union files a grievance. .
Ain’t civil service great…
And furthermore “The chief ordered that the word “Police” be removed from the back of the blue windbreaker-style jackets police officers wear.
In the email Robinson sent out, he criticized the directive contending it would make officers less visible when they went out in public.
WHAT????
I guess AJ doesn’t want the public to know that they are police officers. Meanwhile cops are beating the shit out of citizens and we will have a full investigation.
Administrative duty
Joel, I don’t believe Keeley cut Ann Phillips in Blackham. The 30 vote difference could be explained in a few ways: some voters may have voted only for Keeley, some could have split their votes for Mike or Jeannette. There’s no way of knowing the configuration of the machine results. Ann Phillips is a Zoning Commissioner, an attorney, and a woman involved in many notable boards and commissions on hospitals and charitable organizations. In local politics she is unknown to the voters in the district in which she ran, hence the lowest numbers. That’s for now! This was a race that attracted voters either personally connected to the candidates, or in some cases well-informed individuals that voted for their own reasons. She is the person we all talk about, someone willing to get off their comfy butts and get involved. Who knows, they say don’t poke a bear, or wake a sleeping dog, this may be the case in the future. The machine votes were legit, the ab absentee ballots, the jury’s still out.
Lisa Parziale, your take sounds reasonable but, the AB’s tell a different story. Absentee votes DeFilippo 53, Herron 41, Keeley 32, Pappas Phillips 30.
If Herron and DeFillippo had people or they themselves were breaking rules in regards to the AB’s, each one would have about the same amount of AB votes. As you can see there is a 12 vote difference in their AB numbers. Keeley and Phillips numbers are just about identical despite the fact that Ann Phillips, “In local politics she is unknown to the voters in the district in which she ran, hence the lowest numbers.”
Mikey: What can I get you?
I’ll take a scotch, a beer and two absentee ballots please! hahahaha
“One bourbon, one scotch, one ballot” da-da-da-da-da-da da…
Joel I respect your political observations and accounts, but this is an area where all bets are off. You’re talking about absentee votes. In a legal process, voters vote the ballot as they would at a machine. You can’t predict how or why numbers add up. I don’t believe any of the four candidates cut their running mates.
Lisa Parziale, you wrote: “The machine votes were legit, the ab absentee ballots, the jury’s still out.”
I wasn’t talking about cutting of running mates only. Since the Jury is out and you seem to be a self appointed jury member, complainant, or investigator, I figured I’d do the same. The point I was making is that if Herron and DeFelippo side was involved in tampering with ABs. Most of the AB votes they received would have gone equally to both. Sort of like Keeley’s and Phillips AB numbers.
Lisa: do you think there will be a bonafide investigation?
Rich, I know there’s another legal complaint filed Tuesday. If the Judge determines there were any improprieties surrounding absentee ballots for the primary of the 12th, it’s anyone’s guess. I just reviewed the final electronic report issued from the TC’s office. There were 16 ballots picked up from 16 voters and hand-delivered to the TC’s office by a police officer. This is indicated on the report, no guessing on my part. Who requested the pick-ups, and who approved them only the TC can tell. I believe there’s a process in place where this is allowed under certain circumstances. However, I’ve been checking ab reports for years and I’ve never seen this amount of pick-up activity. But again, this is the call of the Town Clerk’s office. How the Judge will view it remains to be seen.
Lisa Parziale, can you state for sure that those 16 AB votes were for Herron and DeFelippo?
“However, I’ve been checking ab reports for years and I’ve never seen this amount of pick-up activity.”
There hasn’t a been a Special Election like this as far as I know. In a General or City wide (or close to one) election. It would be close to impossible to have an officer available to pick up AB ballots. This was a single district, low turn-out primary.
BTW, Lisa, didn’t Judge Bellis appoint Max Medina as Special Primary/Election monitor? Did anyone see or contact Max Medina during or before the primary? Did he submit a written report to the judge in regards to the primary or is this going to happen after the election? It sounds like the losing side is looking for a fifth leg on the donkey–The Democratic Party symbol.