Three city voters are plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in Bridgeport Superior Court seeking a new Democratic primary claiming absentee ballot irregularities. State Senator Marilyn Moore won the machine count, but lost to Mayor Joe Ganim via absentee ballots. See primaryresultcomplaint.
Bridgeport Generation Now was active in pulling together the pieces to the lawsuit.
News release:
Bridgeport Generation Now Votes and PT Partners released a joint statement following the filing of a lawsuit challenging Bridgeport’s Mayoral election. Details on the press conference presenting the lawsuit below.
Bridgeport has a long and well-documented history of election interference and fraud, with an alarming number of fines levied by the Secretary of State’s office. The fines, however, do not work. We see absentee ballot abuse and misuse in every single municipal election. It is a tactic used by our local Democratic Party to rig and steal elections.
On Monday, September 16, 2019, PT Partners and Bridgeport Generation Now Votes came together to review the election results from our September 10 Democratic primary election. In that vote, multiple Line A candidates lost at the polls but won through absentee ballot votes.
This raised some immediate questions to observers across the state.
Why did these two voting populations–voters at the polls versus voters using absentee ballots–behave so differently? What caused this disparity? For many people in Bridgeport, these results pointed to–yet again–abnormalities and irregularities surrounding the use of absentee ballots.
This is when Bridgeporters decided to take matters into our own hands.
Bridgeport Generation Now Votes and PT Partners organized a professional canvass for the purpose of speaking with voters who voted by, or engaged in, the absentee ballot process, according to the Town Clerk records. We created a protocol designed to reduce and eliminate bias, using established methodologies and research. We conducted highly structured interviews, using a script that pulled questions directly from the absentee ballot application and the state statutes. And we targeted the districts in Bridgeport–the 130th, 131st, 132nd, and 137th–where the Line A versus Line B absentee ballot disparities were the greatest.
Between Tuesday, September 17th and Sunday, September 22nd, our team of seven canvassers spoke with and interviewed over 50 absentee ballot voters. Of those 50+ voters, 27 gave us sworn statements, attesting to their personal experience with the process of voting by absentee ballot in Bridgeport. Our canvas uncovered patterns of behavior that show repeated violations of the laws regarding the absentee ballot process. These patterns cast serious doubts on the integrity of the 2019 Democratic primary election results. Some of the voters who we spoke with felt aggrieved by what they experienced, and by what we have witnessed, and are ready to take their grievances to court.
I say only count the machine votes that people got up and took the time out of there day to vote. Moore wins the election.
@donj
You are free to disenfranchise those who had LEGITIMATE reasons to vote ABSENTEE………………..
Military
College Students who go to school out of town
Those election workers who worked from 5:30 am til 8:30 pm at a polling station other than their own
The truly ill or disabled.
My problem is the lack of supervised voting at senior citizen housing that helps prevent abuse, It’s done in many municipalities, just not Bridgeport,
donj do not under any circumstances think that you may attempt to disenfranchise me. I have voted for nearly 50 years and I will not allow any yahoos take away my right to vote.
Donj,
Should have paid attention in social studies class.
I have been a registered voter since 1976. Over the years I have had to vote via absentee ballot four times. If my ballot was thrown out for any reason you can bet your bony little ass I would be the first in line at City Hall demanding an explanation.
Well if that’s the case there needs to be a redo election with ab strictly monitored!!! Casue alot of it seem fraud.
Provide the identity of all 7 canvasser.
50÷7=7. Each canvasser spoke with 7
Out of 50, 27 had a story to tell.
27÷7=4, I’ll give an extra witness.
On average each canvasser spoke with 4 people. You targeted 4 districts.
EACH CANVASER SPOKE WITH ONE (1) PERSON IN EACH DISTRICT.
Here’s an idea:
Time is short. Eliminate the DTC endorsement; honor the Republican choice and put all three on the ballot!
The primary has been voided and the election will provide the needed winner. ABs are allowed but only under terms provided by the court.
Not a bad idea
The only thing I have ever agreed with you on!!! But deep down I dont feel ganim earned that spot!
One issue in that scenario. We had been informed by OIB that Ganim had not pursued a backup ballot line so therefore had Moore won (clearly and unambiguously) that Moore would take over the Democratic line and Ganim would have been out of luck and out as mayor. Actually,if Ganim had “lost” the write in line would have been Ganim’s only way of being reelected.
Here’s a better idea. Open up your eyes. If Moore’s team or the WFP did their job she would be on the ballot. Which everyone seems to want to turn a blind eye too. This is more about the AB’s abusive system that seems to be a mercenary practice in the Port played by both parties, that underminings the Port’s political system and has been going on for quite some time. Than Moore having a ballot spot. There have been countless lawsuits and contested elections over the years.
PS. If Maria’s statement is not correct, and I’ll bet it’s true, rest to sure, Moore’s team was doing no more or less than Ganim’s team, They just how has a better ground game with deeper pockets. The sad part is no one really cares about the AB abusive system that corrupts the Ports election prosses when it’s in their favor. Day, Ron, jdon and all the others wouldn’t be saying or posting AB’s news links if it was the other way around. Just a fact people.
Maria Pereira says:
September 15, 2019 at 10:41 pm
Bob,
“This woman, Betty Chappell, is a paid operative on Marilyn Moore’s campaign finance reports.
How can Marilyn Moore and her team question the integrity of AB votes when this longtime AB operative is on her payroll?
https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Stratford-Police-2-Bridgeport-residents-12510770.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20 I hope nothing is uncovered on Moore’s team about AB abuse.
Betty Chappell, a longtime AB operative who plead guilty to several felonies related absentee ballots and forgery in 2018, was paid $1,400 by Marilyn Moore campaign.
The CT Post reported a convicted felon on parole voted by absentee ballot. He resides in the East End and his last name is “Chappell.”
I am willing to bet $100 that he is related to Betty Chappell.
This needs to be investigated also.
The whole AB process in Bridgeport sticks to high heaven. I am disappointed that the Moore campaign brought in this Chappelle character. At the same time ,I think it is unfair and is WRONG use Chappelle to paint a broad stroke about the Moore Campaign. Anyway,it looks like Chappelle was overpaid and it was a mistake for the Moore Campaign to bring in Chappelle. I hope the Moore campaign gets rid of Chappelle RIGHT NOW.
I lost count on how many Chapells signed Moores petitions to get on the WFP line.
Hard to keep track without all your fingers, eh?
At one level the entire AB focus distracts us from Bridgeport governance. At the moment, City Council committees are canceling meetings that likely will cause matters before their committees to expire when this Council ends with the 2019 election, and serious things like the illegitimate debit card program for Stipends continues to operate basically out of sight to the taxpaying public.
And while we wait to hear more specifics from Senator Moore’s campaign,of the high road variety that will attract notice by many serious voters from unaffiliated, Republican and Democrat aligned voters, there is very little of note from Ganim2.
The triad of resources that provide for campaign success embodied in the acronym MOM are Money, Operations expertise, and ManWomanPower. I cannot say much about the latter two resources at the moment, but yesterday I went to look upthe latest MONEY reports at Town Clerk office for each campaign up to this time. I put the request in writing but was informed that the investigation (whichever body or supervising source) takes precedence and this info will not be released until the search is complete.
As one who follows lots of City $$$ results, I wanted to see how money was spent, who received funds, and for what campaign activity. More than rumors for several years have informed me that some cash or gift card rewards represented a reward for regular “approved” voting. Where was the source of the funds and how did they get distributed? How many middlepersons? Why are some poor citizens in public housing let it be known that they have not been paid for their “work”? Is it time to investigate all sources at this level? Time will tell.
Stevie Auerbach is conspicuous in his silence. Last week he was all over Facebook informing voters in Black Rock “you voted the wrong way.” Really, Stevie? REALLY?! The residents of Black Rock (and Brooklawn and the North End) voted incorrectly. Perhaps you could explain your calculation. Joe Ganim must have feared people voting “the wrong way.” That would explain his campaign workers felt it necessary to pressure elderly voters into casting their absentee ballots for him. that would explain why his minions recruited parolees to vote by absentee ballot.
Joseph P. Ganim is no different than the scum bags profiled on “American Greed.” He doesn’t give a damn about the people of the city of Bridgeport, just wants the $100.000.00 salary and the privileges of office. Four years into Ganim 2 and his only bragging point is Boca Oyster Bar. He wanted a fancy place to dine and hang out with the swells and pass out six- and seven-figure no bid municpal contracts.
Time for this weasel to ae relegated to the history books.
This is an example to the meaning of Vitriologue. This moron does know how to have a dialogue without spewing vitriol.
“Vitriologue.” Really, Joel? Surprising you have an hundred-dollar word in your vocabulary.
Allow me to remind you that Joseph P. Ganim was convicted of 16 counts of racketeering including soliciting bribes (cases of French wine, custom tailored shirts, home improvements, cold hard cash) in exchange for municipal business.
Did you forget that he committed perjury in federal court?
Did you forget that Joseph P. Ganim was disbarred? Did you forget that a panel of three Superior Court judges declined to reinstate his law license because he lacks the moral character to practice law? If a man lacks the moral character to practice law and was convicted of public corruption he is clearly unfit tn hold elected office.
But he was re-elected. He conned the Christian faithful with a pseudo confession to the congregation of Reverend Charles Stallworth’s church (“I broke the law…”) That and twenty bucks a vote bought him another term,
But then the people began to sour on Little Joe Ganim. Marilyn Moore presented a serious challenge to his job security, a challenge he percieved as a threat. So he cheated on the ABs.
Face it, Joel. You’re backing a crook.
Listen StevenA…I did NOT vote incorrectly. I know you *SPEAK* incorrectly…..
Joe Ganim doesn’t dare show his face in my neighborhood, with SHU students renting houses all over the place and grass growing in the cracks in the street. Bridgeport has gone to hell in more ways than one
Lisa White. Ganim does not dare show his face in any and all neighborhoods in Bridgeport. Ganim brings out his announcement tent and it’s worthless.
I guess P.T. Barnum Housing doesn’t qualify as a “neighborhood”. Joe Ganim was there a few days ago.
Joel,
Yes, Ganim2 has been out there for re-opening the precinct police office a couple years ago. I have his picture along with the chief, but does that office have a schedule of officers? When there is a problem, an officer who knows the people in Building 15, itself, much less the other buildings?
And he has been out there for summer alumni picnics, too. Perhaps back to school backpack giveaways, etc. PT Barnum is officially part of the Black Rock Neighborhood Revitalization Zone for a decade. But it is difficult for residents there to stand up and be counted when, alumni, Council persons from outside the District 130, and other Ganim2 opinion leaders who reside elsewhere are banging on doors and pushing the current program.
But where has he been looking out for taxpayers and PT residents when they have serious, health threatening or life threatening conditions that Park City Communities did not or cannot handle? He ignores, perhaps assuming that a party with food and gifts will convince some of the public to vote for Joe, as a good guy with presents?? How strong and effective is the Park City Community program? What does the HUD report say? Time will tell.
In the name of fairness, Jeff Kohut should have a spot on any upcoming ballot.
Here’s why:
He did the required paperwork before Moore’s challenge was made. He deserves the same advantage any other candidate gets. Kohut is not an accidental candidate. He keeps policy papers in his vest pocket!
Odd circumstances require odd outcomes.
Frank, don’t be confused by Maria’s BS now that she’s in the Ganim/Testa camp. What she didn’t tell say was that Lydia Martinez was busted for campaign AB’s abuse and paid a fine. What she didn’t say was that a lawsuit filed this week which accuses Wanda Geter-Pataky of registering “multiple voters for absentee voting who did not qualify and never received an application,” misleading voters about mail-in requirements, another Ganim/Testa disciple.
Maria is fully entrenched in the Ganim/Testa ideology and she had lost her objectivity and now she’s just another DTC whore. She won her election just like Mayor Ganim, lost on the machines, won on AB’s. Hopefully that will be investigated as well.
Mr. Day,.
As long as you, AKA Huggie Bear, are not my pimp I am good.
I created a flier with Lydia Martinez’ photo and her minion Sonia Belardo’s photo which highlighted both of their SEEC fines and findings.
We hand-delivered tit o every unit in Firseide Senior Apartments and Augustana Homes in 2018.
We also mailed the flier to many of their AB voters in JFK in 2018.
We significantly diminished their AB operation in JFK.
You see, I don’t just whine and complain on OIB. I actually craft and execute a plan. Maybe you and Marilyn Moore should consider doing the same.
Thank you,
Maria Pereirs AKA Milky Maria 🙂
You did all that in 2018 Maria? Wasn’t that prior to you being in the pocket of Mayor Ganim, Mario and the DTC? Just like Steven A, who said some vile things about Mayor Ganim and now he has his head up the mayor’s ass. Where’s your head Maria?
Well, Samia and I utilized that same flier utilizing our attribution and recorded the copies in our finance report, as well.
We redistributed them in Fireside, but it didn’t take long for us to realize their AB operation was pretty much dormant because of the hard work we put in last year. They were scared because we had exposed them with simple facts
Well,I do know my head is not up your’s or Marilyn Moore’s ass. I am surprised that you can even keyboard seeing that your head is literally buried in Marilyn Moore’s ass.
Marilyn Moore swore under penalty of perjury before Notary Jim O’Donnell that she circulated that WFP petition page that had 19 of 30 signatures disqualified. It appears there is evidence that a black male circulated that petition.
That is a violation of state law.
Apparently, a signatory in Fairfield offered testimony that he signed his name and his wife’s name which is also a violation of the law. No one can sign a petition for another voter.
You are so angry about your candidate’s loss that you behave like a child having a horrible tantrum.
I wonder how many hours you spent knocking on doors, phonebanking, stuffing envelopes, and more.
I think most OIB readers know the answer.
In closing, no one with a brain believes that I am in the “pocket” of Ganim,,Testa or the corrupt DTC.
In fact, I have spoken with a number of people who have shared that they have lost respect for both Donald Day and Ron Mackey due to their behavior and outlandish post regarding me and this particular topic.
In addition, I have also spoken with several Marilyn Moore supporters who are well aware had we helped Marilyn Moore in the 138th District she would have won.
We had 106 ABs that did not cast a vote for Mayor. Those were our ABs.
We could have shifted a good portion of our AB voters that said they were voting for Ganim, but we did not even try.
We had 42 voters at the polls that did not cast a vote for Mayor. Those were our core supporters.
When voters asked us who they should vote for Mayor we declined to endorse either candidate. Many voters said we are only voting for you and Samia because we do not know any of these other people.
Could we have put those 150 voters in Marilyn’s column. Absolutely.
That leaves about 160 vote advantage for Ganim.
All we had to do is move 80 voters at the polls out of the Ganim into to Moore column. That would have been simple enough to do.
Tony Barr didn’t deliver the 138th District. That is a reflection on Marilyn Moore for making such poor strategic decisions.
Stop blaming others for Marilyn Moore’s failures.
Maria, when I speak in this forum or any other, I am speaking my truth and not doing so in hopes of getting respect from some unknown people. Sometimes even when the truth sounds wrong or bad, it is the best policy because I am relaying them from my heart. Many people, especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, but I will continue to speak my truth even if I lose respect from people that knows you!
The only respect that means anything to me comes from people that know and love me, not because of, but in spite of and not from someone that I don’t know or someone that considers you a friend!
Donald Day, instead of speaking YOUR “truth” why don’t you simply speak THE “truth?”
Speaking about what did or did not happen on a campaign should be based on facts that you can support with documentation or evidence. You just make stuff up, repeat it over and over again, and hope it sticks.
Isn’t that what Donald Trump does?
Maria, I’m not an expert in what Trump does or doesn’t do. I’ve said over and over again that you won the election by virtue of AB’s and not on the machine’s like Mayor Ganim. That doesn’t depend on whether you like that or not.
Now with that being said you will still contend that I’m not telling the truth so in this incidence I’m speaking my truth and you are supposedly speaking your truth. Sometimes a duck is just a duck!