In reporting “How the battle for absentee ballots defined the Bridgeport election,” The Connecticut Mirror documented how Bridgeport political operatives influenced the absentee voting process ahead of this year’s mayoral primary. Here’s how we did it.
To create the basic database, a team of reporters and editors digitized PDF files of more than 4,400 absentee ballot applications that were submitted ahead of the primary and later entered as evidence in court. We manually entered information from every application into a spreadsheet, including voter name, the dates each application was signed and submitted, the name of the person noted as assisting in filling out the application and other relevant information.
We then removed just over two dozen applications, some of which were photocopies of existing applications, and others that were dated as signed after the primary election took place, which could have been an error by whomever filled them out.
To double-check the accuracy of our data entry, we reviewed a random sample of absentee ballot applications and found an error rate of just under 1%. It is likely that the remaining applications that we did not review have a similar error rate.
From there, the data team used programs such as R and Python to analyze more than 70,000 data points.
To find the number of applications each operative assisted with, applications with the same assistant signature were grouped, counted and reviewed for accuracy.
To calculate the number of days between when the application was signed to when it was received by the clerk, we compared the date the voter signed the application to the date noted on the town clerk’s stamp, which they applied upon receiving the application.
To find out if a voter had more than one application submitted, we standardized names and addresses. To standardize voter names, we removed middle initials, hyphens and any punctuation. For addresses, we removed unit numbers and then used Census Bureau data to align any data entry inconsistencies (i.e. “street” vs. “ST”). Once all the data was standardized, all applications with the same name and address were matched, allowing CT Mirror to find instances of voters being assisted by multiple operatives.
Other data
To understand who requested absentee ballot applications, we digitized and analyzed the final absentee ballot application log kept by the town clerk. Anyone who requests an absentee ballot application must register with the town clerk, who then records the number of applications taken out by each individual and the corresponding application serial numbers. By matching the serial numbers in the application log to the serial numbers on each application, we could identify which individual requested the applications to illustrate the role that political operatives have in the process.
There were roughly 120 applications in our dataset that were unaccounted for in the town clerk’s data, meaning we don’t know who requested them. Bridgeport’s Town Clerk declined to comment on the reason for the inconsistency, citing ongoing investigations.
You can reach out to us tips@ctmirror.org or any of the reporters who worked on the story.