Connecticut Debates No-Excuse Absentee Ballots as Bridgeport Fraud Looms

Connecticut Lawmakers Hold Hearing on Universal Absentee Ballot Bill

Connecticut lawmakers held a public hearing on March 13, 2026 on legislation to implement no-excuse absentee voting across the state — fulfilling a mandate from voters who approved a constitutional amendment in November 2024 by more than 60 percent. The hearing also addressed voter intimidation prevention measures and came as the state’s absentee ballot debate is entangled with the ongoing prosecution of a Bridgeport Democratic official charged with ballot fraud.

The primary bill under consideration, HB 5001, would remove longstanding restrictions that previously limited absentee voting to registered voters who were sick, disabled, out of town on Election Day, or working at the polls. The legislation would implement the constitutional change authorized by voters in 2024.

Bridgeport Ballot Stuffing Case Shapes Debate

The legislative debate is shadowed by the Bridgeport ballot stuffing case. Wanda Geter-Pataky, Vice Chair of the Bridgeport Democratic Committee, is among five defendants arrested in connection with absentee ballot fraud stemming from the city’s 2023 Democratic mayoral primary. Geter-Pataky faces 42 counts of possession of restricted ballots and envelopes, and 22 counts of misrepresenting eligibility requirements for absentee voting.

A judge in 2023 invalidated the results of the Bridgeport Democratic mayoral primary after surveillance footage showed Geter-Pataky and others placing large numbers of envelopes into absentee ballot drop boxes — footage that went viral after then-candidate John Gomes released it. Geter-Pataky was subsequently fired from her city job following an investigation that found city policies had been violated.

The criminal prosecution of Geter-Pataky and co-defendants remains active as the legislature debates how to structure expanded absentee access.

Advocates Clash Over Access and Safeguards

At the March 13 hearing, supporters of universal absentee voting argued that the expansion is necessary to honor the voter mandate from 2024.

“Every eligible voter should have the ability to cast a ballot safely and conveniently,” said Patricia Rossi, a representative of the Connecticut League of Women Voters, according to NBC Connecticut’s report on the hearing.

But Calliee Heilmann, co-founder of Bridgeport Generation Now, pushed back on expanding access without stronger safeguards, specifically around third-party ballot collection practices.

“We support access, but not at the expense of integrity,” Heilmann told NBC Connecticut. “When third parties collect and submit ballots, there must be clear rules to prevent abuse.”

Heilmann’s concerns echo the Bridgeport case, where the alleged fraud centered on the handling and submission of absentee ballot envelopes by political operatives.

SAVE Act and Federal Pressure

The state legislation is also a response to the federal SAVE Act, which has prompted Connecticut Democratic lawmakers to pursue strengthened state-level voting access protections. The voter intimidation bill heard alongside HB 5001 on March 13 was introduced in response to what Democratic legislators described as threats to nationalize local elections.

Connecticut voters approved the 2024 constitutional amendment by a wide margin, and voting rights advocates have described the current session as an opportunity to codify that mandate before any federal interference changes the landscape.

Bridgeport and Connecticut Elections

Bridgeport is Connecticut’s largest city and plays a significant role in statewide elections. The 2023 primary fraud case drew national attention and renewed scrutiny of absentee ballot handling procedures in the city. The prosecution of Geter-Pataky and co-defendants continues in Fairfield County Superior Court.

The state legislature’s Government Administration and Elections Committee, which held the March 13 hearing, is expected to take up the bill for a vote in the coming weeks. No final legislative calendar had been publicly scheduled as of the date of the hearing.

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