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Bridgeport, Connecticut, held an election for mayor in 2023 and 2024. The original general election was held on November 7, 2023, with incumbent Joseph Ganim winning re-election. However, a state judge struck down the results of the September 12 Democratic primary due to evidence of election fraud and ordered a new primary scheduled for January 23, 2024. Ganim won this primary and was re-elected as mayor on February 27, 2024.
First nominations
Primaries were held on September 12.
Democratic primary
Democratic incumbent Joseph Ganim narrowly won reelection over his former aide, John Gomes. Gomes had won the votes cast on election day, but his lead was surmounted by Ganim once absentee ballots were counted.
Gomes declined to concede and alleged voter fraud against Ganim. Bridgeport police launched an investigation regarding claims of "possible misconduct" after a video surfaced online of two women putting white envelopes in an absentee ballot drop-off box.
On November 1, 2023, a Connecticut Superior Court judge ordered a new Democratic primary, upholding Gomes' challenge. The court found that 1,253 absentee ballots were submitted at Bridgeport drop boxes, despite surveillance videos only showing 420 people using the boxes. The general election was still held on November 7. Attorneys for Bridgeport have indicated they may appeal the decision to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
Despite his loss in the Democratic primary, John Gomes won the nomination of the Independent Party of Connecticut and secured a place on the general election ballot against Ganim. The Republican candidate in the race was David Herz. Lamond Daniels, who failed to make the Democratic primary ballot, ran as an independent.
Based on the Connecticut Superior Court's ruling, if Gomes had won the general election, then he would have become mayor. Since Ganim won the general election, a second Democratic primary would be held on January 23, 2024. If Gomes won that primary, he would advance to a second general election. If Ganim won the second Democratic primary, then he would be re-elected as mayor. The primary was contested by Gomes and Ganim, who won by a slight margin.
If Herz or Daniels had won the general election, a second Democratic primary would have occurred for a second general election, but Ganim could still run under the New Movement Party and Gomes could still run under the Independent party if either lost the second primary.
Because Gomes had qualified as an Independent candidate, a new general election was slated for February 27, 2024, unless all remaining candidates running against Ganim had withdrawn from the ballot by that date.
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