State Senator Marilyn Moore, after losing a tight primary to Mayor Joe Ganim, will wage a long-shot write-in candidacy in November. She filed the paperwork with the Office of the Connecticut Secretary of the State.
Statement from Moore:
“Last week, voters who went to the polls made it clear: they voted to reform our city and be done with Joe Ganim. But this is Bridgeport and we know injustice when we see it. That has to stop. Bridgeport deserves better and that is why today I filed as a write-in candidate for mayor of Bridgeport. Voters deserve a chance and a real choice this November.
“When we started this campaign, we knew it was going to be hard. We knew it would be an uphill battle to run against an old party machine that’s rigged the system for years. Despite being outspent 3-1, we won by hundreds of votes at the polls thanks to the hard work of dozens of grassroots volunteers, community activists and supporters.
“Four years ago, Joe Ganim asked for a second chance to run Bridgeport after being convicted of stealing millions from Bridgeport residents. After winning back the trust of voters, our city struggled as he spent two years campaigning for Governor around the state. Voters voiced their discontent last week, but now he’s up to his old tricks to try to take this election. We can’t let this happen again.
“I want to assure voters that my team is carefully reviewing absentee ballots, which were unusually lopsided towards my opponent. While we know it is very difficult to get a court or SEEC to overrule an election, the Keeley case proves it is possible. We are doing our due diligence and will meet any filing deadlines. We will speak more about this issue when we complete our review process. In the meantime, I want to reassure my supporters and the people of Bridgeport that they will be able to vote for Moore in November.”
Moore lacks a ballot position in November after her campaign failed to file the necessary petition signatures to appear on the Connecticut Working Families Party line.
She will have to wage this race without the support of Working Families that ran her primary effort in the final weeks of the campaign. A WFP spokesperson says they cannot expend resources on a write-in candidacy.
This is uncharted territory for a general election mayoral race. Write-in candidacies require an enormous educational outreach to voters.
According to a spokesperson for the Secretary of the State’s Office, at the bottom of the November 5th ballot a row will appear for write-in candidates. Electors must fill in the circle for write-in, then write her name on the ballot. The optical scanner voting machines are coded so that write-in ballots filled out are separated from the rest of the ballots and then hand-counted by elections officials.
“In a write-in candidacy, the tabulator automatically sorts ballots that have the write-in bubble filled in into a special container so that the write-in votes can be hand-counted at the end of Election Day,” says Gabe Rosenberg, Communications Director for the state agency. “All ballots where the voter’s intent to vote for a registered write-in candidate is clear should be counted.”
Moore rejected an appeal from some of her supporters to approach Republican candidate for Mayor John Rodriguez to cede his line to her.
A key question for Moore who won the machine count but lost the primary via Ganim’s absentee ballot operation–how much money will she raise for this effort?
They will have to do major work between now and nov to educate voters on this to fill her name in. I will vote for her in november. she won at the polls by hundreds of votes so anything can happen. I think republicans should get behind moore in the race if they really want to so ganim out. Because republicans are not winning. that 1,500 to 2,000 loyal republican voters who always come out during ever general election could go to moore.
Lennie, what are the rules for submitting a name to get on the ballot? Can I put Speedy Gonzalez or Goya B. Can (Goya Bean Can) for example?
Will Moore use stickers as a write-in Campaign?
they need to teaching people how to write her name in
At the polls you hand out stickers with her name on it, So people put the sticker on the ballot.
Stick with Moore!
Also she should let it be known city wide that she could be the first elected african american mayor of bridgeport
Are the Mayor Ganim, Mario, DTC political operatives (whores) going to take this election off? History has shown that Only In Bridgeport, where they never take an election off!
Let’s move on from the WFP signatures mishap. Let’s keep in mind the opponents ab agenda and Let’s make HISTORY for Bridgeport and begin the healing process of making Bridgeport a City for US ALL.
After all she DID PROVE she’s Black enough, it’s the RIGHT TIME and we NEED our Leaders to UNITE and support HER as the BEST CANDIDATE to bring HOPE once again to this Great City…
I agree Donj the Republican are needed TOO…. Do they REALLY want to “break the machine” as quoted by Mr. Rodriguez
MOORE for Bridgeport!!
Without a doubt,it will be an extremely difficult challenge to go via the write-in way. But Moore did shock everyone with her performance on the machines on Election Day.
Marilyn Moore and her campaign really are going to have to turn on the heat. This has to be presented as a revolution and A BIG THING. People like to be involved in BIG THINGS. A cerebral campaign will fail.
Yes she did.
Some of the people on team Ganim, Most notably Ganim employee and parking guru Steve Auerbach say, via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/660628320/posts/10156635636198321?sfns=mo
that Bridgeport voters are not “sophisticated enough” like the voters of Waterbury to be able to successfully write in a candidates name for mayor. I believe in Bridgeport’s intelligence, even though some on team Ganim do not. Marilyn Moore for Mayor.
Does the write-in name have to be e exact facsimile of what is registered? Moore not More. No Hanging Chads!
Actually GRIN, the attempt to write or print as legibly as possible Moore, Marilyn Moore, or even More will likely work in the opinion of Ted Bromley, a staff attorney in Hartford with over 18 years of experience. Perhaps quite a number of people in the City will have a feeling that by writing in Moore, or similar, they will not be settling for less for the next four years? Time will tell.
This is interesting. To be honest, most folks were not excited about either candidate but at least people see progress with Ganim. This must a tough lesson for Moore at 70. She messed this up for herself. It is sad she is alleging fraud but did not prove it. This is to get people emotional, so that they go her way. Tell me what will she do differently than Ganim? What is her platform? Who will she select as the face of her administration??? Tony Barr? she lost me when she put him out front. haha. Where is my friend Maria, congrats Maria! See you in City Hall.
“at least people see progress with Ganim,” Where and what? If Ganim was doing what you said then Marilyn Moore should have lost big time at the voting polls to Mayor Ganim, plus Ganim lost real big in Black Rock.
Black Rock will kick his ass again!
Stick with Moore!
what progress??? The voters voted him out at the polls….
She also gave the NAYSAYERS a reason to pause and shut up, even if for a moment until the ab count.
I’m going to ride this emotional wave yet AGAIN and just like in my David and Goliath theory the sling is set the rock is aimed at this giant and the rest is HISTORY!!!!
MOORE for Bridgeport!
There’s some historic precedent for this.
Absolutely!
The main question is can she secure 1200-1500 AB’s she’ll need?..Cause you know Joe will get at least that many this time.And not for nothing,alot of the people she’ll need to pull this off,aren’t capable of figuring out the write in process,so there’s that.
Let’s remember. In the Tisdale,Paoletta,Mandanici election the turnout was something like 80%. I am not contemplating the same turnout. There is a cliche. “A rising tide lifts all boats.”. I truly believe Ganim is not a popular mayor. The more people that come out and vote will bring out that truth.
Harvey, that’s right on target, the same issues that were in the primary last week are still there in November with the AB’s. Marilyn Moore also MUST make a big push to reach out to over 20,000 Independent voters plus Republican voters. The VOTERS DON’T KNOW HOW TO VOTE IN A WRITE-IN ELECTION, they have never seen a write-in ballot plus the VOTER MUST WRITE THE NAME ON THE BALLOT. Does name has to be spelled correctly, does it have to the whole name or a portion of the name, this is really important for older voters. There is a lot work to be done but it can be done, Marilyn needs to reach out who have the experience and background in running in election and to patch up disagreements with those who can truly help.
What campaign funds Senator Moore has on hand should be spent on advertisements that educate people on how to fill out a write in ballot. Bridgeport Generation Now! and the League of Women Voters should pitch in as well.
Some body on facebook said “Will supporters be able to vote with your name on stickers? Some states and local jurisdictions allow it; not sure if CT does.” Wow I did not even know states do that. Does anybody know if ct does that?? it makes it a lil easier to win
Ron,
Let me say this to you, AB votes are still reflective of the people of Bridgeport. A win is a win, regardless is a person win at the polls or not. The fact is he won. What if he started to look into her AB votes like she is trying to do for him? If you want to cast suspicion let’s cast it both ways as Bridgeporters.
What is it that you have against a black woman working to become the black and the first black woman to become mayor and remember, 270 vote difference? Joe Ganim hasn’t done anything in the East End from the first time he became mayor in 1991, in fact when he got elected almost 4 years ago Ganim wasn’t even office for a year and a half when ran for governor and where Ganim lost in every city and town in the entire state and he barely won in Bridgeport.
Stephanie ab fraud looms over this election just like the last election 2 years ago and for decades.
Bridgeport is KNOWN for it’s CORRUPTION and it’s time to set a NEW Presidence.
Look around Bridgeport, run down buildings and properties , a homeless population that we very seldom talk about, a school system that is in dire NEED of funding.
The high unemployment and a lack of Living wage jobs, high crime, scandal after scandal within our police department, those are just a few things that is plaguing this city not to mention
an administration that has allowed a community to be Hurt and divided by words from not only from a women of color but a PASTOR and NOT A WORD to DENOUNCE it.!!!
WE NEED A PERSON who can Start the healing process amongst our communities.
I see that in Senator Moore. I have YET to see this in the Ganimn camp.
Divide and Concour (The New Jim Crow) still has a stronghold within our City and world
Hell look at the comments on here.
Insulting our intellectual capacity to fill out a ballot.
Hey everyone,
I just got back from a forum hosted by the Greater Bridgeport NAACP concerning Absentee Balloting and write in candidacy logistics with a representative from the Secretary of States Office and former State Rep Caruso . The biggest takeaway I got is that voters are able to write in many variations of Marilyn Moore’s name in order to cast a vote for her. Some variations include; Marilyn Moore, M Moore, Marilyn M, M.M. and misspellings of her name as long as it is obvious that the voter is attempting to vote Marilyn Moore for Mayor of Bridgeport.
Another thing, voters are absolutely allowed to carry something in such as a pencil with “Marilyn Moore” printed on the side of it when they go into the polling place to vote. I heard that people were told to discard walk cards once they entered the polling place, this is a violation of state law. As long as they are not distributing anything that is promoting any candidate within the polling location, they can bring in something to reference on their person when they go to vote.
Joe, thank you, I hope Marilyn has Chris Caruso more involve with everything, please.
Thanks for sharing that’s good news.
I hope we have SUPERVISED voting at those places that are most vulnerable and preyed upon ONLY at election cycles
I also attended the NAACP meeting last evening and Joe Perkus has it right. What was also clear is that there is a great need for education of the voting public around what they need to do to “write-in”, what is allowed into the polling place . . . and most importantly, educating of poll workers on what the rules of the road are. And independent monitoring. But more on that later. The representative last night from the SOS office was the state Director of Elections and he was helpful in providing feedback to situations that we brought up as well as guidance on a variety of issues. Several of us asked some very pointed and specific questions and walked away with notes and greater clarity around everything from ABs, to write-ins, to conduct at the polls.
Wanda,
You seem like a decent person. Let us keep it real, what healing? people say hurtful things all the time. I have heard it in both camps. The attacks are real. We as black people need to treat each other better and with respect. I had a woman from Marilyn Camp curse me out. Did i think that was a reflection of Moore? No. People should be judged on their own merits. Yes, this woman is a close ally of Moore. Did I stupidly say Moore reflected her views?
When you have people in your camp that PUBLICLY make disparaging remarks and DON’T DENOUNCE their words PUBLICLY then yes it is a reflection of them.
We need to learn to treat people with respect period NOT just Blacks.
We have white people who treat each other just as bad…
Wanda,
I am specifically talking to black folks. Let us not deflect. We have a lot of work to do in our own community. We all know this. You ever heard the saying: all of our skin folk are not our kindfolk. Sometimes we treat each other worse. But, the Mayor should not have to answer to everything someone says that is offensive. He can only control what he does and says. Come on now. This woman cursed me clean out and she represented Moore. But did i say that’s reflective of Moore. No, because that would be ignorant to do so.
Again, where are all the “good” democrats out supporting her? Or at least calling for reform or investigation? Stafstrom’s district overwhelmingly supported Moore, where has been on supporting her or calling for reform? Now is the time for people to take stand, and in my book silence stands with the status quo and the good ol boys.
I totally agree. I went by the campaign office this evening but didn’t see anyone.
I will be making a sacrificial campaign donation and offering my assistance.
I had sworn to NEVER get involved in politics again but she has given me HOPE that History can be made and the People can WIN!
I’m excited to be a part of a 1st time write in campaign and possibly the first African-American Women elected by the people and for the People of Bridgeport as Mayor
Now we have an election to watch because if it were just Ganimn and Rodriguez, in my opinion Rodriguez would be slaughtered!!!
Hopefully the Republicans and unaffiliated voters vote for Moore because she’s the stronger candidate in my opinion.
I knew she wouldn’t smooze for him to cede his seat to her… From his comments alone I knew I wouldn’t vote for him.
Wether they were said or not , Neither of them PUBLICLY apologized or retracted those words even after Senator Moore expressed how negatively she was affected by them.
I was hurt by those words.
Like Michelle Obama said when they go low we go high and that’s what Senator Moore did.
I DOUBT if she knew of her supporters cursing people out she wouldn’t address the situation…
On somewhat of a sidenite, I was in the Town Clerk’s office today and asked to review the “Bridgeport Game Changers” campaign filings and Finance reports.
Since May 24th they have had three different chairpersons.
Their treasurer has filed SEEC Form 21 reports without listing a single donation or expenditure in violation of state law. The campaign is required to file SEEC Form 20. The Town Clerk is required to fine the Treasuree $100.
They held a small fundraiser and none of the donors or the amount of donations are identified anywhere
They clearly had expenses related with the fundraiser, were required to pay for or contribute to the cost of CT Van walk sheets, and I have a Marilyn Moore mailer which they are promoted and identified as contributing funds to.
The incompetence with campaign related matters is troubling.
Marilyn Moore’s surrogate Tony Barr filed incomplete forms missing critical information for City Council.
Tony Barr has failed to file any finance reports for his failed City Council race. He paid for campaign literature and had paid canvassers. A couple of them filed a police report claiming they were owed $800 and he had failed to pay him. Tony Barr announced on facebook that the BPD called him and indicated he was going to be arrested for the nonpayment of his canvassers.
He had two filings identifying himself as a candidate for Mayor on the New Movement Party.
I told a Town Clerk employee you can likely discard it because there is no “New Movement Party.”
The incompetence surrounding those associated with Marilyn Moore, her campaign, and her slate would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
Marilyn Moore sure is lucky that you don’t care who won the mayoral election. Maria, I see where that $1000 donation came with the knowledge that if you want to win like Mayor Ganim then you need to play the same dirty games that he, Mario and the dirty DTC plays to win elections, AB’S over machines. Filthy, just filthy!
Don, Maria is showing Joe Ganim and Mario Testa how much she appreciates the $1000.00 that she got from John Ricci who is Ganim and Mario biggest supporter by continually bad mouthing and being down right nasty towards Senator Marilyn Moore. Maria lies about how much she doesn’t like Ganim and Mario but as you notice Maria has nothing bad or negative or derogatory about either man. During Mayor Ganim time as mayor while Maria was on the BBOE, Ganim always underfund the 20,000 plus students thereby hurting those students education but Maria hates Marilyn Moore, who is a duly elected State Senator, much more than the current Bridgeport mayor. Don, then Maria demonstrates how much that she doesn’t care about the taxpayers of her district, the 138th, by saying and showing that Maria didn’tcare about what harm Mayor Ganim did to the 20,000 plus school students because she didn’t care who got elected to be mayor and that she didn’t vote for any candidate to be mayor. Don, Maria was bought and paid for by taking that $1000.00 and she knows that she can’t say anything bad about Joe Ganim.
Not voting is actually AGREEING with the status quo, regardless of the tainted twists of trying to convince oneself that they somehow made a difference…
Comical
Maria has a block of voters in her district. She CAN deliver VOTES…
She’s a thorn in the machines butt and lot of others, I might add.
She DOES the WORK!!!
We know she cares about WHO IS MAYOR… SHe Took the BAIT and is very much a part of the MACHINE she loathes….
She convinced many to NOT VOTE for either
Her job was DONE….
Silence equals complacency and a vote for the status quo…
They KNEW exactly what that contribution would bring, RESULTS.
Wanda,
What happened to I have the right to support or not support whomever I choose?
I chose not to support either mayoral candidate which is SOLELY my choice.
It isn’t yours, Mr. Day’s or Mr. Mackey’s. It is 100% mine.
I do not, and will not vote for any candidate because I must vote for someone.
I will vote for those I am passionate about, that have a clear record of standing up for our 20,400 students, and that I believe can govern independently and effectively.
Neither Ganim or Moore met that criteria for ME.
It is MY vote and I will do whatever I wish to do with MY vote.
Your comments implying I took a bribe are baseless, slander and appaling.
You’re absolutely RIGHT YOUR VOTE is YOURS ALONE.
In my opinion, NOT VOTING is the SAME AS KEEPING the SAME. Being complacent, riding the fence produces the SAME…. NOTHING
Taking a STAND AGAINST something we loathe is honorable…
I’m VOTING AGAINST an ADMINISTRATION that has over 11 years of NOT standing for our children or it residents.
Whatever YOUR spin is won’t help the City or the children..
That’s MY POINT…
Please DON’T get touchy feelings or appauled.
If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck it’s a duck.
Just DOESN’T look GOOD, in my opinion which I’M ENTITLED TOO.👌
I said BAIT. YOU say BRIBE… It’s to our own interpretation…
If you TRULY HATE something you STAND AGAINST it at ALL COST.
By the way Congratulations on your win.
👋👋
On your win
It seems clear Marilyn Moore has put “Mayor of Bridgeport” on her bucket list. It’s the test of an executive to make sure that bucket doesn’t spring a leak, especially when you’re tasked with supplying the water, too.
Shake your fist and say: Write-in, Right On!
Funny thing here. I voted for Moore in the primary. She seemed disinterested at the candidate forum at the Klein and she and her campaign were too incompetent to follow simple rules to be on the November ballot. So now she thinks she can a) pull off a write-in candidacy after not being able to execute a simple task and that b) we should still give her our votes? Maybe next time.
Peter,
My neighbors, who have been involved in local politics for years, drove past me on their way home the other day.
They stopped to offer me a congratulations on my primary win.
Then unsolicited they brought up Marilyn Moore whom they voted for. They both expressed that she appeared unorganized and incompetent and felt the botched signatures reflected poorly on her.
I reviewed one of the signature pages that was circulated by Marilyn Moore personally. She signed the petition page and it was notarized by Library Board President Jim O’Donnell.
There are only 20 signature lines on municipal petitions, however there are 30 signature lines on Secretary of State petitions.
Marilyn Moore submitted 30 signatures on this particular page. Only 11 were deemed legitimate.
Signers clearly wrote they were from Fairfield, West Haven, Naugatuck and some identified zipcodes that were clearly not Bridgeport zip codes.
My guess is that this petition was circulated at the Thursday night concerts at McLevy Green which is NEVER wise.
A well organized petition drive is where you go door-to-door with a voter list. If you do that you will have very few signatures disqualified
It is time consuming, however you completely avoid the issues Marilyn Moore is now facing.
Give me a break. This administration has had over 11 years and a second chance after a corruption deal.
Where are the RESULTS?
I don’t understand WHY MOORE wouldn’t be given the SAME consideration.
YES very simple mistakes were made but to say she’s incompetent and NOT worthy of a second chance is very hypcrital in my opinion…
SHE’S ON THE BALLOT!!! The Machine CAN’T KEEP HER OFF!!! 😄
Gotta spend more money and time at winning again.
Just have to laugh, Politics is a dirty game.
What people do to gain power, money and prestige…
I guess it’s at ANY COST
Wanda, you notice that Maria has nothing to say about Mayor Ganim, nothing at all and that’s because she got that $1000.00 from Ganim’s good friend and financial supporter John Ricci. You would think that Marilyn did something to Maria by the way Maria dogs Marilyn.
Over the years I’ve read many comments she’s made .
I think she has a secret crush on him😂😂😂😂😂😝😝😝😝
Wanda,
Please cut and paste a single comment or post that I have made over the last four years that has been complimentary regarding Joe Ganim. Please post a single comment that I have made in the last four years that could possibly support your assertion that I have a “crush” on Mayor Ganim.
I look forward to reading these comments you have referenced. OIB readers will be waiting for a lifetime because they do not exist.
I’ll do no such thing DON’T have the time …
Happy day Maria!!!!
You’re so predictable😝😝😝😝😝😝😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Wanda,
It isn’t that you don’t have time. It’s that you can’t.
There is a difference.
And you are ill informed and are making completely false and inaccurate statements.
Peter,
I agree with you. Moore runs a very sloppy campaign and look who is the face of her campaign, Tony Bar??? That says a lot about her. She’s talking about taxes. Hell, she’s a senator, what has she done in Hartford to talk about lowering the taxes. She needs to talk about putting more money into “Bridgeport” not just “black rock” who doesn’t want to really be IN “BRIDGEPORT”. She lost me at the Klein center. She does not look Mayoral. AT ALL.
Maria, you lost on the machine’s and won on AB’s just like Mayor Ganim. Did that $1000 donation come with the DTC dirty book of political tricks? Remember, when you kiss one ass you’re always known as an ass kisser.
Mr. Day,
Nessah Smith received 494 on both machines combined with a massive infusion of support from the DTC and Ganim’s campaign.
Samia and I came in second on the machines with exactly 484 votes each with the help of only three volunteers and no mailers paid by the DTC or a mayoral campaign. We won on the machines.
Those that lost on the machines were Karen Jackson, Tony Barr and his running mate.
The numbers are black and white and speak for themselves.
Unlike Marilyn Moore, we had no criminals with felony convictions for absentee ballot fraud volunteering or being compensated on our campaign.
Marilyn Moore paid Betty Chappell $1,400 in just the 7 Day Preceding campaign Finance report.
Please remember your candidate, Marilyn Moore, received 303 absentee ballot votes. The only Precinct she beat Joe Ganim on absentee ballots was Thomas Hooker. I didn’t ask one voter to vote for Marilyn Moore or Joe Ganim,, but she certainly benefitted from riding our coattails. In fact, the only school she won on the machines on the entire east side was Thoma
s Hooker School. Again, she rode our coattails.
I must say you are a very poor surrogate for Marilyn Moore and are a very poor reflection on her campaign.
Moore received more votes at hooker than you on the machine. If anything you rode her coattails….
Let us be honest. Moore won Hooker school prescient because of Maria. Say what they want about Maria but she delivers the voters. She identifies with the voters. and they go her way! way to go. You have earned my respect.
Donj,
Let me attempt to explain basic math to you.
1) There were only two mayoral candidates dividing all the democratic votes in the 138th District
2) There were SIX city council candidates dividing all the democratic votes in the 138th District.
Geeez…
Still got more votes than you…. But congrats on the victory
Some political observers think it’s ironic that Marilyn Moore’s campaign brags about winning on the machines but whose stated goal is to dismantle the Ganin/Testa DTC machine that’s plagued Bridgeport politics all along. .
They got that idea from me.
Maria, this is the question and trying to excoriate me doesn’t answer said question. Let try this again.
Maria, you lost on the machine’s and won on AB’s just like Mayor Ganim. Did that $1000 donation come with the DTC dirty book of political tricks?
Mr. Day,
You are delusional and a liar. You clearly need a refresher in basic math.
The End.
Maria, again, Maria, you lost on the machine’s and won on AB’s just like Mayor Ganim. Did that $1000 donation come with the DTC dirty book of political tricks?
The question mark at the end of the sentence denotes a question in case you didn’t know.
Don, why was there a recount in the BBOE election that involve Maria Pereira and what was outcome?
Maria, why was there a recount in the BBOE election that involve you and what was outcome?
That’s easy. Unlike Marilyn Moore I won. 🙂
Maria, why were you involved in a recount?