Ballot probe takes center stage

Legislature takes up Bridgeport investigation during special session

HARTFORD — An unfurling election investigation in Connecticut’s largest city was taking center stage in the State Capitol on Tuesday, as lawmakers meet to hash out several changes to the state’s election laws.

Originally scheduled for the purpose of confirming a state Supreme Court justice and adjusting the spring primary calendar, Tuesday’s special session expanded in scope to include a number of technical matters, including fixing a drafting error in the state budget that has delayed the appointment of an election monitor in Bridgeport.

That list of policy items were included in a ninepage bill released by legislative leaders early Tuesday.

Shortly before noon, Republican lawmakers announced they would propose several amendments to the bill banning the use of absentee ballot drop boxes and imposing a mandatory one-year prison sentence for criminal violations of the state’s election laws.

Whether or not those amendments are germane to the session’s agenda will be up to House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, who told reporters Tuesday that Democrats were open to “reasonable restrictions and compromises” when it comes to tightening election laws.

Each of the GOP amendments was put forward in response to events in Bridgeport’s mayoral primary earlier this month, in which police are investigating “possible misconduct” surrounding video footage showing a woman placing items in a ballot drop box. Republicans described the video as the latest example in a long list of election controversies that have played out in Bridgeport, Hartford and other cities.

“What’s more important in a democracy than the vote?,” asked Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford. “Now we have a video that shows potential abuse. The majority doesn’t

want to do anything before the November election. The majority has no will because the current system works for them.”

Ritter, meanwhile, said lawmakers should be cautious in their response to the swirling allegations in Bridgeport, which are now subject to a pending lawsuit.

“We don’t even know the full facts and circumstances of what happened,” Ritter said.

Banning ballot drop boxes, the speaker added, would likely disenfranchise hundreds or thousands of voters during the general election in November, including in cities and towns where there have been no allegations of wrongdoing.

Bridgeport mayoral candidate John Gomes and his campaign claimed during a news conference last week and in a complaint filed with the SEEC that Wanda Geter-Pataky was allegedly the woman seen in the videos placing items in an absentee ballot box outside the government center.

Geter-Pataky, who works in the government center and is vice chair of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee, was placed on paid administrative leave Sept. 18 pending an investigation, according to a city letter sent to her. The letter did not specify why she is being investigated.

Bridgeport police said they are looking into the videos and sent the footage to the SEEC to investigate. Police have not said whether Geter-Pataky is being investigated or whether they have interviewed her.

Hearst Connecticut Media has not been able to reach Geter-Pataky and someone who responded to a Ring doorbell at her home declined to comment. Hearst Connecticut Media has also not been able to confirm the authenticity of the videos.