On Wednesday, a judge dismissed the results of Bridgeport’s September Democratic mayoral primary and ordered that the city hold a new election, following evidence of improper election tampering.

Cheri Quickmire, executive director of Common Cause in Connecticut, released the following statement on this decision: 

“Judge William Clark’s decision is proof that our systems work. Election tampering and ballot mishandling cannot and will not go unchecked — not in Bridgeport, not in Connecticut, and not in this country. We’re grateful that the court handled this situation swiftly and seriously.

“Far too many Bridgeport officials wanted to ignore this. Bridgeport has been plagued by serious misdeeds related to elections for far too long. The voters of Bridgeport deserve better than this. 

“While this situation is not ideal and a poor reflection on the leaders of Bridgeport, we want to assure voters that this is not normal. Today, we hope that voters will show up to the polls and feel certain that their votes are handled properly. 

“Despite the situation in Bridgeport, voting in Connecticut — whether you’re voting early, in-person, or by mail — is overwhelmingly safe and secure.”