The Chief State’s Attorney announced that five people were criminally charged in connection with the misuse of absentee ballots during a 2023 primary election for Bridgeport mayor.
The five charged were Wanda Geter-Pataky, 68, Alredo Castillo, 53, Maria Pereira, 57, Jazmarie Melendez, 26, and Margaret Joyce, 45. All of the suspects were from Bridgeport, except for Joyce, from Stratford.
Geter-Pataky was a former city employee. Castillo, Pereira, and Melendez were Bridgeport council members.
This election was for the Democratic Party candidate nomination for mayor.
The candidates were incumbent Mayor Joseph P. Ganim and John Gomes.
Ganim was declared the winner after the absentee ballot votes put him ahead of Gomes, who was the victor of the polls.
On Sept. 13, 2023, Bridgeport police received a complaint alleging that Geter-Pataky, a former worker for the Democratic primary, illegally used absentee ballots to help Ganim win.
In response, Gomes filed a lawsuit, resulting in a court-ordered new primary election followed by a new general election. Both were won by Ganim.
