November 18, 2024 – On August 22nd, The Connecticut Post reported that the State Elections Enforcement Commission had referred two top Bridgeport Democrats, including City Council President Aidee Nieves, to state criminal prosecutors for a case involving alleged 2023 election irregularities.

The complaint, which was filed by Denise Solano in September of 2023, alleges that Nieves aggressively and repeatedly asked a voter to collect their completed absentee ballot before last year’s mayoral primary.

After almost a year of investigation, the State’s Election Enforcement Commission decided to refer the matter for possible criminal prosecution. “The commission authorizes counsel to refer this matter for consultation with the chief state’s attorney and forward any evidence of possible criminal violations related to election law violations,” said SEEC’s attorney William Smith.

Additionally, Connecticut Mirror investigative reporter, Andrew Brown, reported on September 4th, 2024 that the SEEC confirmed allegations in a second complaint that Council President Nieves had forged an absentee ballot application.

The Unrig Bridgeport coalition is serious about fixing our broken democracy and protecting voting rights. Ensuring clean and fair elections is a key pillar in The People’s Platform, which candidates must pledge to in order to receive the coalition’s endorsement. Our commitment to fixing our local democracy is also why, as a condition of receiving the Unrig endorsement, all candidates must take an oath not to abuse the absentee voting process. The oath – which Council President Nieves signed – stipulates:

During the 2023 Municipal Elections, my campaign and I will not abuse the absentee ballot process or engage in illegal activity related to absentee ballots.

  • I promise my campaign has not – and will not – pay people exclusively to circulate absentee ballot applications.
  • I promise my campaign will not lie to voters, forge voters signatures, or forge their absentee ballot applications.
  • I promise my campaign will always educate voters on the proper and legal way to vote using an absentee ballot.
  • I promise my campaign will not touch or take voters’ ballots.  

The oath concludes with this statement from the coalition: “If we discover that your campaign in fact engaged in any unlawful activity regarding absentee ballots, we will publicly pull our endorsement.”

Due to the fact that the SEEC found that the complaint warranted referral to the State’s Attorney, and due to the seriousness of the allegations themselves, at our September meeting the Unrig Bridgeport coalition voted to officially rescind our endorsement. 

The August 21st referral to the Chief State’s Attorney includes allegations that Wanda Geter-Pataky, who remains the Vice-Chair of Bridgeport’s Democratic Town Committee, promised a family a subsidized housing voucher in return for voting for Mayor Joe Ganim. These referrals are in addition to the two referrals SEEC made to the State’s Attorney in April for possible absentee ballot fraud during the 2023 Democratic mayoral primary. And they come on top of the June arrests of Wanda Geter-Pataky and Alfredo Castillo, City Councilman in the 136th District, for election law violations stemming from the 2019 Democratic mayoral primary. 

The voters of Bridgeport deserve so much better from our local elected officials and our local Democratic Party leadership. This abuse of our elections must end and the voters of Bridgeport’s civil rights must be restored.

The UNRIG BRIDGEPORT COALITION is made of the following partner organizations: Bridgeport Generation Now Votes, Bridgeport Strong, Connecticut Citizen Action Group, Greater Bridgeport Ed Gomes Black Democratic Club, and PT Partners.

Bridgeport Generation Now Votes is on a mission to increase voter turnout in Bridgeport elections, through voter engagement, grassroots organizing, legislation, and litigation. Key to that work is educating the public about political candidates and public officials – and what their public service record actually is, not what they want people to believe. BPT Gen Now Votes also works to elect candidates who will pass laws and policies that strengthen democracy, fight corruption, and expand and protect voting rights. It is the 501(c)4 affiliate of Bridgeport Generation Now. For more information, go to bptgennowvotes.org, read our blog at alsoinbridgeport.org and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. (Press kit here.)