Bridgeport mayoral candidates were at the Margaret E. Morton Government Center on Monday to check out absentee ballots in the court-ordered primary election redo. They were kept under the watchful eyes of police as bags containing the ballots were unsealed and photocopied.

John Gomes and his attorney were absent, despite having requested this process to be sure the results were accurate. This all comes a week after voters went to polls and incumbent Mayor Joe Ganim won the primary redo by over a thousand votes. The redo was ordered after a judge found "ballot irregularities" had tainted the original race.

Attorney John Kennelly, representing the Democratic Registrar of Voters, said every time voters go to the polls, it costs Bridgeport taxpayers $120,000.

Gov. Ned Lamont also chimed in on where he stands in this controversy.

"Joe has won three times…last time he won pretty big. At some point you gotta get back to governing. That would be my advice," said Lamont.

City Council President Aidee Nieves issued a letter on Monday calling for all the candidates to formally withdraw from the race, thereby negating the need for a fourth round of voting.

"As a city we need to begin to heal and grow and move forward," said Nieves.

Republican David Herz said he'll pull out if Gomes and Lamond Daniels do. Gomes declined to comment to News 12 Connecticut’s Frank Recchia.

Officials said the clock is ticking for candidates to make a decision since ballots for a Feb. 27 general election redo would have to be printed by Thursday Feb. 1.