11/07/2025
SEEC DISMISSES CHRIS REDDY’S 2024 ELECTION COMPLAINT REGARDING UCONN STUDENT VOTING IN MANSFIELD
HARTFORD, CT – The State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) voted unanimously this week to dismiss the 2024 elections complaint filed by defeated Republican State Senate candidate Chris Reddy, which alleged, falsely and without evidence, significant election improprieties in Mansfield related to the lawfully-cast votes of thousands of students at the University of Connecticut. It received widespread media attention at the time.
Speaking for the Commission Wednesday, SEEC Attorney William B. Smith said: “After investigation, the Commission can find that the allegations were not supported by the facts after investigation. In fact, the Commission can conclude after an extensive and thorough investigation, which included both field site investigations as well as substantial document production from the elections officials in Mansfield that this matter should be dismissed based on a failure of the facts and the law.”
Reddy’s complaint falsely alleged that UConn students had voted in the Mansfield election improperly and that Mansfield’s election officials had not followed the proper protocol while processing the same-day registrations of thousands of voters. The complaint further falsely alleged that Democrats were violating Connecticut’s laws related to campaigning within 75 feet of the entrance to a polling place by serving pizza to voters waiting hours in a long line to vote. These allegations were all proven false by the facts and the law.
The Commission found that:
- “Mansfield took extensive measures to ensure that students were aware of both the requirements and process for registering to vote and casting a ballot through early voting and in-person voting.”
- “Elections officials stressed the requirements for individuals registering for the first time versus for individuals who were already registered to vote” and that “warnings against voting more than once…were incorporated within materials and instructions provided” to voters.
- “Mansfield elections officials administered and processed early voting registrations and ballots consistent with instructions from the Office of the Secretary of the State and statutes.”
- “The table used to offer pizza was outside of the 75-feet line to the entrance of the polling place” and that during the course of the election “both Democratic and Republican [candidates] congregated at that spot, outside the 75-feet line.”
Mansfield DTC Chairman Ben Shaiken said: “Chris Reddy’s complaint was always baseless and did nothing but sow discord among the citizens of the 29th State Senate district. I am grateful that SEEC investigated so thoroughly to prove unequivocally what we have known all along: In 2024, Mansfield held a free, fair, secure and extremely well-organized election. Without any evidence of wrongdoing, Reddy attempted to disqualify the voices of more than 3,000 of his would-be constituents.”
In November 2024, when it became clear they had lost, the Reddy campaign disputed the results of the election and attempted to prevent their certification rather than concede defeat. At the time, Mansfield DTC Chair Ben Shaikenand then-RTC Chair G. William Tomecko issued a joint statement defending the integrity of Mansfield’s election. Following this, Reddy, house candidate Aaron Bowman, Town Councilor Brian Coleman, State Rep. Anne Dauphinais, and some chairs of the other eight RTCs in the 29th Senate district all demanded Tomecko’s resignation as RTC chair.
The 29th State Senate District includes nine towns in northeastern Connecticut and has been represented by Democrat Mae Flexer since 2014. Nearly 14,000 UConn students live on-campus at UConn, comprising approximately 14% of the district.
The SEEC Decision dismissing the complaint can be read here:https://seec.ct.gov/portal/data/e2CaseBase/FD/FD_2024_122.pdf
The full 11/5/25 SEEC meeting can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/live/h6wBtGN7dJU?si=E-VXzJHuo_JOQDxW&t=7004
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
