Politics
JUST IN: Democrat Politician Arrested For Telling Woman To Change Vote: ‘I Felt Intimidated’
A former Connecticut Democratic state senator is facing four criminal charges after a voter accused him of opening her completed absentee ballot and telling her to switch her vote to his brother.
Dennis A. Bradley was arrested Tuesday in connection with alleged ballot violations ahead of Bridgeport’s Aug. 11 Democratic primary, Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin announced.
Bradley faces two counts of illegal possession of absentee ballots and envelopes, one count of being present when an absentee ballot applicant executes an absentee ballot, and one additional absentee ballot charge involving the alleged unlawful opening of a ballot.
The case centers on the Democratic primary for probate judge between incumbent Paul Ganim and challenger Mark Bradley, the former senator’s brother.
Alesia Dennis told authorities that Dennis Bradley came to her apartment, opened the absentee ballot she had already completed and instructed her on changing her vote from Ganim to his brother, officials said.
“I felt intimidated. So I just went along with everything he said for me to do,” Dennis told NBC Connecticut.
Dennis said she handed the absentee ballot to police and later voted in person at the registrar of voters’ office.
“I shouldn’t have to go through that twice. I mean, literally, I cast my vote,” she said.
Bradley, who represented Bridgeport in the state Senate from 2019 to 2023, was released on a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on Oct. 21. His attorney, Darnell Crosland, said Bradley maintains his innocence.
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Dennis contacted Bridgeport police Aug. 5 and filed a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission the following day. The commission referred the case to the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney for further investigation.
Connecticut Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding and state Sen. Rob Sampson, both Republicans, blasted the allegations in a joint statement.
“Got fraud? Bridgeport has plenty of it. What an absolute embarrassment.”
Dennis said the investigation had taken a toll, even as the arrest brought some relief. NBC Connecticut interviewed her in August and again following Bradley’s arrest.
“I wasn’t going to vote no more,” Dennis said. “I mean, that’s how bad it got me to that point.”
She said she still has faith in Bridgeport’s election system and intends to keep voting, as she has since becoming eligible.
The new charges follow a separate federal conviction involving Bradley’s 2018 state Senate campaign. Charged in 2021, Bradley was convicted in March of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud for defrauding Connecticut’s public campaign financing program.
That federal case is unrelated to the absentee ballot allegations.
