Bridgeport, CT – Wanda Geter-Pataky, vice chair of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee, has surrendered to authorities after being charged with 96 counts related to alleged absentee ballot fraud.
The veteran party operative, arrested last June and again on Feb. 21, was allegedly recorded stuffing ballot boxes during the 2023 mayoral election.
Geter-Pataky, a key figure in Bridgeport politics, faces four counts tied to absentee ballot misuse during the 2019 mayoral race.
The next confirmed court date for that case is set for March 21. The February arrest added 92 new charges, all related to ballot abuses in the 2023 election. She is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.
Despite her legal troubles, there is no immediate movement to remove her from her leadership role.
Democratic Town Committee second vice chair Anthony Paoletto stated he was “not aware of any internal push to somehow penalize her.”
Longtime chairman Mario Testa, who has previously defended Geter-Pataky, declined to comment but had earlier said, “The public convicted the lady without due process. Let it take its course. Then we see where we go from there.”
Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves, who recently took over as leader of the Connecticut Democratic Party, said in a statement that the party’s stance remains clear.
“Since the beginning of this investigation, the Connecticut Democratic Party has said the law is clear about how to handle absentee ballots and ensure that voters’ rights are not violated,” Alves said. “If individuals are found guilty of election-related violations, they will be held accountable and have no place in party leadership.”
Some members are calling for immediate action.
Democratic Town Committee member Maria Pires argued the situation damages the party’s credibility.
“There’s no hope for Bridgeport,” Pires said. “It’s pretty embarrassing for Bridgeport residents to say, ‘I’m from Bridgeport’ or ‘I’m a Democrat from Bridgeport’ because of all the nonsense.”
While the town committee’s bylaws do not explicitly outline a process for removal, the party could rely on Robert’s Rules of Order, a procedure used in Stamford last year when its Democratic committee expelled a member.
However, Testa’s influence makes it unlikely Geter-Pataky will be forced out.
A spokesperson for Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, whose campaigns Geter-Pataky supported in 2019 and 2023, said the mayor has no power to force an elected official to resign.
“Mayor Ganim has no authority to cause another elected official to resign and respects the rule of law and due process,” the spokesperson said.
State Rep. Christopher Rosario, a longtime ally of Geter-Pataky, compared her legal battle to that of Donald Trump, noting that criminal charges did not stop the former president’s campaign.
“Our commander in chief ran for highest office in the land while going to court, and it didn’t stop him,” Rosario said.
Security footage cited in the February arrest warrant affidavit allegedly shows Geter-Pataky placing multiple absentee ballots into a drop box during the 2023 mayoral race.
The Connecticut Elections Enforcement Commission has also been investigating her activities.
With the next town committee election set for March 2026, Geter-Pataky remains in her position, and party leaders have shown no sign of removing her before the legal proceedings conclude.
