Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin recently revealed that Dennis A. Bradley, Jr. of Bridgeport has been charged with the misuse of absentee ballots during the 2026 Bridgeport Democratic Primary race. This comes as President Donald Trump and his administration continues to push for legislation to be passed that would take specific measures to reduce voter fraud and preserve election integrity.
Inspectors sent by the Statewide Prosecution Bureau within the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney took Bradley into custody today after a warrant was issued charging him with two counts of illegal Possession of Absentee Ballots and Envelopes, which is a violation of Connecticut General Statutes 9-140b(d), Present When an Absentee Ballot Applicant Executes an Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140b(e), and Absentee Ballots, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-359.
On August 11, 2026, the City of Bridgeport held a primary election to choose a Democratic Party nominee for the position of Judge of Probate. The candidates for the office included incumbent Paul Ganim and his challenger Mark Bradley. Those participating in the election by casting a ballot could do so either by showing up to vote in person or through the submission of an absentee ballot.
According to a report from the Connecticut government a complaint was filed with the Bridgeport Police Department on August 5, which was then followed by a complaint sent to the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) the following day. The complaint, filed by a woman, said that a man named Dennis Bradley came to her apartment.
When he arrived there, he opened her previously executed absentee ballot and informed her how to change her vote from Paul Ganim to Mark Bradley, who is Dennis Bradley’s brother. The SEEC then handed the case over to the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney in order to start up an investigation to take a deeper look at the situation.
Bradley was released from custody after he made a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on October 21, 2026. In March, after a two-week trial in front of a federal jury, Bradley was found guilty of campaign finance fraud in connection with his 2018 campaign, according to a report from the Connecticut Post. He was found guilty on five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy after just three hours of jury deliberation.
However, a judge later dropped three of the wire fraud charges against him. He is currently scheduled to receive sentencing in connection with the fraud case on December 3, 2026. “Mr. Bradley maintains his innocence and looks forward to having the facts fully and fairly examined through the appropriate legal process,” his attorney, Darnell Crosland, said.
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Crosland then said that the charges brought against his client in the arrest warrant are “paper thin.” He then described Bridgeport politics as a “blood sport” and said that the claims made against his client are “just par for the course.” Mark Bradley stated at the time that the woman in the voter fraud case had wanted his brother’s assistance in change her probate judge vote, but could not get the envelope open.
“There was no type of coercion or force of any type of manipulation,” he had stated at the time of the incident. “She had difficulties opening her ballot, and from my understanding and looking at the video, it looks like Dennis was solely helping her open the envelope. She opened it herself and she stayed with her ballot.”