Politics

Judge Orders Re-Do Of Democratic Primary After Video Shows Absentee Ballot Stuffing

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Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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A judge ruled Wednesday to overturn a Democratic primary race in a Connecticut town after video evidence allegedly showed the incumbent mayor cheated.

Democratic Mayor Joe Ganim was trailing his opponent, John Gomes, by 487 votes on election night, according to ABC 7 NY. But by the next morning, he was suddenly up 251 votes after absentee ballots came in, according to the report.

The case was taken to court where Superior Court Judge William Clark ruled that the vast amount of evidence brings  “the reliability of the result of the election is seriously in doubt.”

“The volume of ballots so mishandled is such that it calls the results of the primary election into serious doubt and leaves the court unable to determine the legitimate result of the primary,” Clark ruled.

Clark cited both data showing an abnormal amount of absentee ballots were cast in certain districts and video evidence showing two Democratic officials shoving ballots into drop boxes, violating state law. Both Wanda Geter-Pataky, vice chair of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee and former city councilwoman Eneida Martinez pleaded the fifth while in court. (RELATED: Georgia Official Downplays Existence Of Voting Machine Issues Ahead Of 2024, Despite Expert Concerns)

“The videos are shocking to the court and should be shocking to all the parties” Clark ruled, calling for a new primary race.

The general election, however, is still planned for Tuesday on which Ganim will be listed as the Democratic nominee and Gomes as an independent, according to the Associated Press.

Ganim was previously convicted of corruption during his first go-around as Mayor but was re-elected after he was released from prison, according to the Associated Press.