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Illustrated graphic of buildings in Bridgeport CT, a ballot box, an "I Voted" sticker and the name In Absentia across them.
In Absentia

2: Second Chance City

By Bria Lloyd,
Cassandra Basler, Jim Haddadin, Meg Dalton, Kate Seltzer
Published April 29, 2024 at 8:01 PM EDT
Joe Ganim celebrates at his campaign headquarters after claiming victory over incumbent mayor Bill Finch in the Democratic mayoral primary in Bridgeport, Conn., on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015.
Cloe Poisson / Hartford Courant / TNS
/
Getty
Joe Ganim celebrates at his campaign headquarters after claiming victory over incumbent mayor Bill Finch in the Democratic mayoral primary in Bridgeport, Conn., on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015.

Once Joe Ganim was released from prison, he returned to the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he staged his political comeback. In 2015, Ganim defeated several candidates to become mayor once again — and he’s been in office ever since.

In Absentia
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Bria Lloyd
Bria Lloyd was an investigative reporter for The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public, the newsroom’s investigative reporting initiative.
See stories by Bria Lloyd
Cassandra Basler
Cassandra Basler oversees Connecticut Public’s flagship daily news programs, Morning Edition and All Things Considered. She’s also an editor of the station’s limited series podcast, 'In Absentia' and producer of the five-part podcast Unforgotten: Connecticut’s Hidden History of Slavery.
See stories by Cassandra Basler
Jim Haddadin
Jim Haddadin is an editor for The Accountability Project, Connecticut Public's investigative reporting team. He was previously an investigative producer at NBC Boston, and wrote for newspapers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
See stories by Jim Haddadin
Meg Dalton
Meg Dalton is the director of audio storytelling and talk shows for Connecticut Public where she oversees the station’s talk shows and podcasts, including the limited series 'In Absentia'.
See stories by Meg Dalton
Kate Seltzer
Kate Seltzer was the Roy Howard Investigative Reporting Fellow as part of The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public, the newsroom’s investigative reporting initiative.
See stories by Kate Seltzer