For most citizens, elections are the simplest expression of democracy: one person, one vote, counted exactly as cast. But over the last decade, Connecticut’s largest cities have repeatedly demonstrated that our system is far too vulnerable to manipulation — especially when it comes to absentee ballots.
Bridgeport has become the national poster child for absentee-ballot abuse. Surveillance footage showing individuals depositing stacks of ballots into drop boxes during a contested mayoral primary forced a court to order a do-over election — a stunning acknowledgment that the integrity of the process had been compromised. That case produced multiple arrests and over a hundred criminal counts, including allegations of unlawful possession of absentee ballots and organized ballot “harvesting.”
Stamford has seen its own high-profile failures. A years-long investigation into the 2015 municipal election revealed forged absentee-ballot applications and ballots. A former Democratic city chairman was convicted of multiple felonies; a former city clerk faced penalties for improper handling of ballots. These were not technical violations — they were deliberate abuses carried out by individuals entrusted with civic responsibility.
New Haven has faced documented cases involving fraudulent petition signatures and campaign-related election crimes, adding yet another layer to the pattern of misconduct in Connecticut’s urban political machines.
What ties these incidents together is not geography, but method. Time after time, the abuses involve absentee ballots — and most often, party operatives and campaign workers who handle ballots they shouldn’t. The public record speaks plainly: in the cities where ballot fraud has been documented, it has overwhelmingly involved local Democratic organizations and political insiders who exploited weak rules and minimal enforcement.
This isn’t about partisanship. It’s about honesty. And honesty requires acknowledging that Connecticut’s current laws do not deter organized schemes. When the worst offenders face fines or probation, not jail time, it sends a clear message: the risk is worth it, and the consequences are tolerable.
If Connecticut is serious about restoring election integrity, we need to strengthen absentee-ballot laws — and we must finally adopt a statewide voter ID requirement.
Voter ID is a necessary part of the solution
For all the debate, the truth is straightforward: the cities that have seen the most documented election abuses are the ones with the least safeguards. A uniform, statewide voter ID law — requiring a simple, government-issued photo ID at the polls — would bring Connecticut in line with the overwhelming majority of states and close one more avenue for misrepresentation.
Most Americans, including majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, support voter ID. It protects honest voters without stopping eligible voters from participating. If we are tightening absentee-ballot rules, it makes no sense to leave our in-person voting rules unchanged. Integrity requires consistency.
Five reforms Connecticut must enact now
- Strengthen penalties for unlawful ballot possession and organized “harvesting.”
Repeated or coordinated handling of absentee ballots should be a felony with real prison exposure, not a fine or suspended sentence. - Ban third-party ballot collection except for narrow categories of authorized agents. If a ballot leaves a voter’s hands, there must be a clear, provable chain of custody — no exceptions, no gray zones.
- Require rapid referral of evidence to prosecutors. When the State Elections Enforcement Commission identifies likely misconduct, the case should move to the Chief State’s Attorney within 30 days, with mandatory evidence preservation.
- Create enhanced penalties for public employees and officials who abuse their office. When registrars, clerks, or municipal employees engage in ballot misconduct, the law should mandate immediate suspension and heightened criminal penalties.
- Secure ballot drop boxes and improve public notice. Drop boxes should be monitored, alarmed, and clearly marked with warnings that illegal ballot collection is a crime. Public education must be proactive, not reactive.
The stakes could not be higher
Democracy is not self-enforcing. It relies on rules we trust and institutions we believe in. When voters in Bridgeport, Stamford, or New Haven see ballots mishandled, forged, or collected illegally, confidence collapses — not just in those cities, but statewide.
Connecticut cannot keep treating each scandal as an isolated event. The pattern is real, the damage is cumulative, and the public’s patience is running out. Strengthening absentee-ballot laws, adopting voter ID, and imposing meaningful penalties are not partisan measures. They are basic safeguards needed to ensure that every voter — regardless of party or ZIP code — can trust that their vote counts exactly once, and only once.
If we wait for the next scandal, it will be too late. The legislature should act now.
Timothy Herbst lives in Branford.