Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim won another term in office Tuesday, ending an election contest that was upended by allegations of voting misconduct by Ganim’s supporters.
This week’s special election was the fourth time some residents cast their ballots in the race between Ganim and opponent John Gomes. Both candidates worked to overcome fatigue with the election process as they encouraged voters to return to the polls.
A judge ordered Bridgeport to redo its mayoral primary and invalidated the results of last year’s general election after reviewing videos that appeared to show two Ganim supporters dropping papers into an absentee ballot drop box. Ganim has denied any knowledge of voting improprieties.
Ganim prevailed in the city’s do-over primary in January, securing the nomination of local Democrats. He defeated Gomes and Republican David Herz in Tuesday’s election, garnering about 59% of the vote, according to unofficial totals from the Associated Press.
Addressing his supporters shortly before 9 p.m., Ganim said his margin of victory in this week’s special election is a mandate for the “things that we stand for, and that we will continue to fight for."
"If it wasn't clear three times in a row, it's clear today, louder than ever," Ganim said. "Bridgeport has spoken."
Gomes, a businessman and former staffer in the Ganim administration, did not immediately concede defeat Tuesday, but told supporters at a campaign watch party “the numbers are what they are.”
Voters 'tired' and 'concerned'
Bridgeport voters went to the polls Tuesday, some for the fourth time, to put to rest a highly controversial mayoral election marred by accusations of absentee ballot fraud.
The election happened as voter apathy is on the rise, which Gomes, an independent mayoral candidate, has acknowledged.
“We've talked to people; they're tired, they're concerned,” Gomes said before election night. “But what I'm saying to them is that we shouldn't be tired, because look what's happening.”
Tuesday's race came nearly four months after a judge tossed out the results of a Democratic mayoral primary in Connecticut’s largest city due to allegations of ballot stuffing.
The election is the fourth time registered Democrats have voted for the city's next mayor, after a judge voided the initial primary last year over surveillance footage appearing to show a Ganim supporter putting multiple absentee ballots into a drop box.
What the heck is going on in Bridgeport?
Bridgeport's path to Election Day has been complicated, and to some in the city of 148,000, embarrassing.
Marjorie Vixama cast her ballot at Harding High School on Tuesday. She said she's ready for the race to be over.
“I just hope this is the last time," Vixama said. "I just hope that everything goes well and everything goes in order so we can just move on from here.”
Voter John Deecken said he doesn't think the election will heal a divisive political landscape or change the city's direction.
"Things are probably going to linger," Deecken said. "It may take a couple of years to really see some difference."
As previously reported by Connecticut Public, Ganim’s campaign was initially accused of absentee ballot fraud by Gomes, who successfully sued to overturn the Sept. 12 primary showing he lost to his former boss by 251 votes out of 8,173 cast.
That meant the results of the subsequent November general election didn’t count. Another primary was held in January, which again Ganim won.
Before Tuesday, Gomes said if he lost this latest election, he did not plan on taking any additional legal action to contest the election.
“No, Feb. 27 is it,” Gomes said.
Gomes, who was Ganim's former chief administrative officer, was largely campaigning against his former boss' alleged transgressions. He was framing the race as big-city machine politics versus an upstart challenger.
“This has been a story about David and Goliath,” Gomes said.
A Republican candidate, David Herz, was also on the ballot.
"Gomes and Ganim — they're just different shades of the same color," Herz said. "So unless I'm elected, I don't see that there's going to be any real change in the city of Bridgeport."
Ganim said his various victories is proof the city backs him. He characterized the recent attacks by Gomes as a sign of desperation.
But Gomes said another Ganim term would mean a continued lack of transparency which in part, he said, led to the election controversy in the first place.
“Because we are tired, we don't show up and guess what happens,” Gomes said. "You're back to where you began.”
Democrats line up behind Ganim
Democrats statewide have fallen in line behind Ganim, who was recently endorsed by Gov. Ned Lamont, U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes.
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz also endorsed Ganim, appearing at a campaign event over the weekend.
While Ganim has gained supporters from the state party, which routinely backs fellow party candidates, Gomes has faced dwindling popular support.
Some of Gomes’ former supporters have expressed apathy over the election and the lack of accountability centered around the alleged ballot fraud.
But one organization does see a silver lining to all the head-spinning electoral chaos. Bridgeport Generation Now Votes, which backs Gomes, is getting more attention from residents.
Gemeem Davis, the group's vice president and co-director, says new members have been attending meetings.
“It's been an absolute win on that side of democracy and Bridgeport Generation Now Votes is organizing,” Davis said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report, which has been updated.
