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A former Connecticut state senator was arrested following an investigation into the handling of absentee ballots during the 2026 Bridgeport Democratic Primary, officials announced on Tuesday.
Dennis A. Bradley, who served as a Democratic member of the State Senate representing Bridgeport from 2019 to 2023, was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of illegal possession of absentee ballots and envelopes, being present when an absentee ballot applicant executes a ballot, and an additional absentee ballot violation, Chief State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin announced.
The charges stem from the Aug. 11 Democratic primary in Bridgeport, which included a race for judge of probate between incumbent Paul Ganim and challenger Mark Bradley, Dennis Bradley’s brother.
Alesia Dennis contacted Bridgeport police on Aug. 5 and filed a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) the following day. She said that a man she knew as Dennis Bradley came to her apartment, opened an absentee ballot she had already completed, and instructed her on how to change her vote from Ganim to Mark Bradley, officials said.
NBC Connecticut spoke with Alesia in August, and again today.
“I felt intimidated. So I just went along with everything he said for me to do,” Alesia said. She said she gave her absentee ballot to police and voted again at the Registrar of Voters. “I shouldn’t have to go through that twice. I mean, literally, I cast my vote,” she said.
The SEEC referred the case to the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney for further investigation.
Alesia said she’s relieved there’s been an arrest, but says the investigation has caused her a lot of stress.
“I wasn’t going to vote no more,” Alesia explained. “I mean, that’s how bad it got me to that point.”
Alesia said that she hasn’t lost her faith in the city’s election system, and that she’ll keep casting her ballot as she’s done since she was old enough to vote.
Bradley was released on a promise to appear in court on Oct. 21.
In 2021, Bradley was also federally charged in connection with allegations involving Connecticut’s public campaign financing program during his 2018 state Senate campaign. Those charges are unrelated.
State Sen. Minority Leader Stephen Harding (R) and State Sen. Rob Sampson (R) said in part in a statement:
“Got fraud? Bridgeport has plenty of it. What an absolute embarrassment.”