By Slow-Walking 2019 Ballot Fraud Case, SEEC Allows Another One

Now that the 2023 municipal elections are over it’s time for the public, pundits, and prognosticators to take over to break down what they believe happened, and what they think will happen during the next election cycle. Of course, trying to assign logic and reason to local political races is either masochistic or Sisyphean, your choice.

Still, regardless of where “your” candidate or political party finished, following any election it’s important that we come together for the betterment of our communities and engage with each other reasonably and with mutual respect.

That respect also needs to be carried over to the actual process of voting.

Unfortunately, politically, society seems to be drifting further and further from the center and instead of the politicians practicing the time-honored American ideals of discussion, debate and compromise we’re left with leaders who prefer to dismiss, and divide. Respect for candidates who put themselves on a ballot is assumed, but what about the election process itself?

Over the past few months, accusations and video clips of alleged ballot fraud in Bridgeport have captivated our state – made national news headlines – and dominated discussions everywhere from coffee shops to online forums, and certainly within each and every Registrar of Voter’s office.

Unfortunately, instead of showing the outrage you, I and many of our fellow Connecticut neighbors have, the governor and secretary of the state are choosing to minimize these alleged abuses of the system by pretending it’s a localized issue, and one that will be handled swiftly and professionally. Don’t bet on it.

The video at the heart of the latest drama – there are several other documented cases of alleged fraud in Bridgeport, Stamford and other localities – allegedly shows a Bridgeport city employee and Democratic Town Committee operative placing large stacks of papers, presumable absentee ballots, into a designated ballot drop box outside Bridgeport City Hall. An investigation is ongoing into this latest incident, and a judge ordered a new primary to be held after the general election, but the most ridiculous part is that the woman at the heart of these latest accusations was previously implicated in an alleged election fraud case from 2019!

The Connecticut State Election Enforcement Commission (SEEC) has been slowly investigating the 2019 allegations for four years and just about the time of the most recent alleged malfeasance, finally referred three individuals, including the woman at the center of this incidents, for criminal prosecution! Unfortunately, SEEC dragged their feet and rather this individual is now implicated in yet another election fraud case

The safety, security and sanctity /integrity of our elections is absolutely paramount.

Why did it take the SEEC four years to bring the 2019 case forward, and in the interim potentially allow one of the individuals involved to allegedly commit yet another election crime? What will ultimately be done in the 2023 case if she is found guilty of the previous accusations? Is this a coordinated attack or a single person acting on their own? Why did they do it, for what reason, and who sponsored it?

I remain concerned for the security of our elections and will continue to engage with local and state election officials to find ways to make certain every ballot is secure.

Our democracy depends on it.

Rep. Karen Reddington-Hughes