Connecticut judge orders new mayoral primary after surveillance videos show possible ballot stuffing

By SUSAN HAIGH
Associated Press

A state judge has taken the unusual step of ordering a new Democratic mayoral primary for Connecticut’s largest city to be held after the Nov. 7 general election. Wednesday’s decision comes after surveillance videos showed a woman stuffing what appeared to be absentee ballots into an outdoor ballot box days before the original primary in Bridgeport. Superior Court Judge William Clark determined that the allegations of possible malfeasance warranted throwing out the results of the Sept. 12 primary, which incumbent Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim won by 251 votes out of 8,173 cast. Absentee ballots secured his margin of victory. Ganim hasn’t decided whether to appeal.