Bridgeport mayoral candidates agree on Jan. 23 for new primary, but plan still needs judge’s OK

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — The two mayoral candidates in Connecticut’s largest city confirmed Wednesday they agree with holding a do-over mayoral primary in Bridgeport on Jan. 23.

Sparked by allegations of ballot box stuffing, Democratic mayoral candidate John Gomes filed a successful lawsuit that overturned the Sept. 12 primary. Gomes officially joined Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas’ proposed order seeking a Jan. 23 primary date. Thomas’ seven-page order was filed Wednesday with the Superior Court.

Thomas’ proposed order also includes new safeguards for handling absentee ballots.

Gomes’ opponent, Democratic Mayor Joe Ganim, issued a statement Wednesday night that said “the parties appear to have agreed upon a date for the primary. That date is January 23, 2024 but it has yet to be ordered by the court.”

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Gomes’ lawsuit had named Thomas and various city officials, including Ganim, as plaintiffs. It was unclear whether Ganim and the other officials have agreed to all of the details of Thomas’ proposed order, including a possible general election on Feb. 27.

“All parties have been in discussion and are in alignment on almost all points, but a full agreement has not been reached,” said Tara Chozet, spokesperson for the Secretary of the State’s Office, in a statement issued early Wednesday evening, before Ganim’s statement was issued.

On Nov. 1, Superior Court Judge William Clark ordered a new primary, citing surveillance videos of people stuffing what appeared to be multiple absentee ballots into outdoor collection boxes.

Among the new safeguards proposed by Thomas, the Bridgeport town clerk would have to stamp each absentee ballot received through the drop boxes with the words “Drop Box,” in addition to other required stamps.

Gomes Attorney Bill Bloss said in a statement that he would have preferred holding the primary in December, “but given the new guardrails that have been put in place regarding absentee ballots, I think it’s a fair trade.”