In a rather unsurprising event from the deep blue state of Connecticut, which is known for its consistent election of Democrats, four campaign workers affiliated with the Democratic Party were apprehended for the misuse of absentee ballots. This incident took place in 2019, but the individuals were caught, arrested, and charged during the summer of 2024.
This information was disclosed by the State of Connecticut’s Division of Criminal Justice in a press release dated June 11. “Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin announced today that four campaign workers involved in the 2019 Bridgeport Democratic mayoral primary have been criminally charged in relation to the misuse of absentee ballots,” the press release stated.
The press release went on to detail the various crimes committed, stating, “Inspectors from the Statewide Prosecution Bureau in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney arrested Alfredo Castillo, age 52, Wanda Geter-Pataky, age 67, Nilsa Heredia, age 61, and Josephine Edmonds, age 62, all residents of Bridgeport, and charged them with Unlawful Possession of Absentee Ballots, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-146b(d) and other election-related offenses. Three of the four individuals are also charged with Tampering with a Witness, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-151.”
Further elaborating on the specific charges faced by each of the four workers, the statement indicated, “Specifically, Edmonds, Geter-Pataky, and Heredia were charged with Tampering With a Witness, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-151; Geter-Pataky, Castillo, and Heredia were charged with Misrepresenting Eligibility Requirements for Voting by Absentee Ballot in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-135(b); Castillo, Edmonds, and Heredia were charged with Failure to Maintain an Absentee Ballot Distribution List, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140(k)(2); Edmonds and Heredia were charged with being present When an Absentee Ballot Applicant Executes an Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140(k)(1).”3
The press release further indicated that the initial allegations against them arose when it was revealed during a Democratic Party primary that there had been mishandling of ballots, which led to an investigation. It stated: “In light of the allegations regarding the mishandling of absentee ballots during the September 2019 Democratic primary election for mayor of the City of Bridgeport, the office of the Secretary of State issued a formal referral letter to the State Elections Enforcement Commission, commonly referred to as the “SEEC”. The SEEC then initiated a civil investigation that culminated in a vote to forward evidence of criminal activity to the Division of Criminal Justice on June 7, 2023. This referral was accepted by the Statewide Prosecution Bureau within the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.”
In detailing the criminal activities related to the ballots, the press release remarked: “As per an arrest warrant affidavit, Geter-Pataky is charged with failing to sign as an assister on an absentee ballot application that she completed on behalf of a potential voter and misrepresenting the eligibility criteria for voting by absentee ballot when she allegedly advised a citizen against voting in person and stated that she would collect the citizen’s absentee ballot. The citizen later informed SEEC investigators that the defendant instructed her not to discuss the issue with anyone.”
Moreover, it was highlighted that one of the defendants failed to provide a distribution list for the mishandled ballots, stating, “Court documents reveal that Heredia directed prospective voters on which candidate to choose on their absentee ballots and misrepresented the eligibility criteria for voting by absentee ballot. The defendant confessed to SEEC investigators that she did not submit an absentee ballot distribution list to the City of Bridgeport Clerk’s Office.
It was subsequently stated, “As per an arrest warrant affidavit, Castillo faces allegations of not maintaining an absentee ballot distribution list, misrepresenting the eligibility criteria for voting via absentee ballot, and neglecting to sign as an assister on an absentee ballot application in August 2019. In a deposition with the SEEC on October 21, 2021, Castillo refuted claims of assisting the prospective voter in completing the application but later conceded that he had indeed filled out certain sections of the application.”
Furthermore, regarding the actions of the fourth defendant, the press release noted, “According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Edmonds is alleged to have been present while four prospective voters completed their absentee ballots and took possession of those ballots upon leaving their residence. She is also accused of failing to keep an absentee ballot distribution list and of witness tampering for having instructed a witness not to provide truthful testimony in court.”
In a statement referenced by the press release, Chief State’s Attorney Griffin remarked, employing the familiar phrase “our democracy,” “The integrity of our voting process is essential to our democracy. I am grateful for the diligence and effort the Statewide Prosecution Bureau dedicated to these investigations. I trust that these prosecutions will convey a message that discourages any tampering with election outcomes in Connecticut in the future.”
