Democrats charged with election fraud in Connecticut - the investigations now heading toward criminal referrals

 Four campaign workers were arrested and charged with election-related offenses stemming from allegations of absentee ballot fraud during the 2023 Democratic mayoral primary in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

The suspects Silvia Ramos, Elsie Mercado, Robert Anderson, and Maria Hernandez—are accused of illegally collecting absentee ballots, misrepresenting eligibility requirements for absentee voting, and in some cases, failing to properly sign as assisters on ballot applications.

Three of them (Ramos, Mercado, and Anderson) were affiliated with incumbent Mayor Joe Ganim's campaign, while Hernandez supported his rival, John Gomes.

This brings the total number of arrests in the ongoing investigation to nine, highlighting issues with election integrity in Bridgeport, a city with a history of voting scandals.

The 2023 primary, which Ganim initially won by 251 votes, was overturned by a judge after video evidence emerged showing operatives stuffing ballot drop boxes, leading to multiple redo elections where Ganim ultimately prevailed.

Connecticut law strictly regulates absentee voting: Only the voter, immediate family members, or designated caregivers can handle ballots, and misrepresenting eligibility or harvesting ballots (collecting them from others) is prohibited.

The investigation, led by the Chief State's Attorney's Office, has expanded from initial complaints to the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) and now includes criminal prosecutions.

All four defendants turned themselves in at a state police barracks, were released on promises to appear, and are scheduled for court on August 12,