Mayor Joe Ganim keeps winning elections with the support of Bridgeport’s Democratic political machine. Machine politics has a rich and controversial history in the United States. Today, critics say it’s thriving in Bridgeport — and that it’s holding the city back.
3: The Ballot Box in the Room
![A Bridgeport ballot box is lit up by street lights from its position on Boston Ave. on Election Day November 07, 2023.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a14d1a1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F69%2Ff6%2F0f9174624fe3861a2869b4ac7bc3%2F231107johngomes.jpg)
Mark Mirko
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Connecticut Public