Overview

• Robert Anderson, Maria Hernandez, Elsie Mercado and Silvia Ramos turned themselves in late July and face charges including unlawful possession of restricted ballots, misrepresenting voter eligibility and failure to sign as ballot assisters.
• The arrests mark the latest phase of a multi-year probe triggered after a judge voided the 2023 Democratic primary when surveillance footage showed operatives stuffing absentee ballots and ordered a rerun won by Ganim.
• Newly unsealed arrest warrants claim Anderson, Mercado and Ramos received campaign payments from Ganim’s team for collecting ballots, while Hernandez allegedly worked in coordination with John Gomes.
• The warrants cite video evidence and recorded interviews in which two defendants admitted to taking possession of voters’ ballots and delivering them to party operatives.
• Since early 2024, state prosecutors have charged nine people in stages, highlighting persistent concerns over absentee ballot fraud in Bridgeport’s mayoral contests.