Dominic Rapini, who ran against Stephanie Thomas for the position of Secretary of the State (SOTS) on the Republican ticket in 2022, has applied to the Office of the Secretary of the State for the job of monitoring Bridgeport’s elections as the city’s absentee ballot scandal is argued in court and investigated by the State Elections and Enforcement Commission (SEEC).
The former Senior Account Manager for Apple threw his hat in the ring on October 1, 2023, applying for the position recently authorized by the Connecticut General Assembly during a September special session, giving the Secretary of the State’s Office $150,000 to hire a monitor to ensure Bridgeport’s 2023 municipal election is handled fairly and within the law.
“The creation of an Election Monitor position is an essential first step to building faith in elections. We are presented with an opportunity to uncover the root cause of election corruption and take corrective action,” Rapini wrote in his cover letter. “With the above thoughts in mind, I am willing to leave retirement to serve my state as an Election Monitor.”
Bridgeport’s history with elections, particularly absentee ballots, came to the forefront once again in September during the primary election when video was released of a woman – reportedly a member of Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim’s campaign – repeatedly returning to an absentee ballot drop box and allegedly depositing a large number of absentee ballots. Ganim was pushed to victory over his mayoral primary opponent John Gomes with absentee ballots, and Gomes is challenging the election outcome in court and is asking the court for a new primary.
The video has stirred accusations of voter fraud and pushed the legislature to act to ensure the absentee voting process and upcoming municipal elections in Bridgeport are secure by authorizing a monitor.
According to the job description, the election monitor will oversee elections in Bridgeport in 2023 and 2024, conduct investigations and inquiries, have access to all records and data and immediately notify SOTS of any irregularities or improprieties.
Rapini was nominated to run for Secretary of the State on the Republican ticket in 2022 on a platform of securing elections. According to his campaign website, he is in favor of requiring a government ID to vote, allowing people to apply for absentee ballots online, and opposed early voting and ranked choice voting. Thomas won the election with 55.2 percent of the vote, with Rapini taking 42.7 percent.
Rapini had also been board chairman of Fight Voter Fraud, Inc. a nonprofit organization that submitted 56 election complaints to the SEEC in 2021, which were sternly rebuked by SEEC Executive Director Michael Brandi and SOTS Chief Counsel Gabe Rosenberg. Rapini has previously stated he wants to see the voter rolls cleared of individuals who have died or moved out of state, and stepped down from his position at the organization shortly before his campaign for SOTS.
“Since 2018 I have studied election issues; analyzed the Connecticut voter rolls; and investigated the various election crimes reported in Bridgeport or currently under review by law enforcement in other Connecticut cities,” Rapini wrote in his cover letter.
Bridgeport, however, has a history of allegations related to voter fraud and absentee ballot abuse. In 2017, a Connecticut court appointed attorney Max Medina to oversee a do-over for the Bridgeport City Council elections due to an absentee ballot issue. Medina was then appointed by former Secretary of the State Denise Merrill to oversee Bridgeport’s elections in 2020.
Three members of Ganim’s 2019 campaign have been recommended for criminal charges after a four-year investigation into absentee voting issues related to Ganim’s close victory over primary challenger Marilyn Moore. The 2019 issues were largely related to the use of absentee ballots. A court determined the issues were not serious enough to overturn the election result, however.
Rapini says he’s being realistic regarding his application, noting that it is unlikely his former political opponent will jump at the chance, but believes the position is an important one for maintaining election integrity.
“I think the most important thing is for Secretary Thomas to know that she has choices,” Rapini said during a phone call.
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There’s no one less qualified than Rapini.