Two more ballot tampering suspects in Bridgeport will get offers to plead guilty, prosecutors announced on Tuesday afternoon.

But one defendant, a former City Council member, told a judge that she is innocent and will not accept any plea deals.

The suspects expected to receive offers, Nilsa Heredia and Margaret Joyce, are fairly low-level campaign operatives, but this could just be the beginning. Attorneys said they expect most of the defendants to eventually be offered deals.

Joyce, a campaign worker for Mayor Joe Ganim’s 2023 re-election campaign, faces nine counts of ballot tampering. Heredia was a volunteer for Ganim’s 2019 campaign. According to the arrest warrant, a voter told investigators: “I filled the ballot out, marking the names Nilsa told me to.”

Heredia’s attorney said she is a scapegoat for Ganim.

“It’s infuriating,” said attorney Ken Krayeske. “The person who benefited from all this absentee ballot fraud has won multiple elections and has never faced charges. We know he has a history of felony corruption while he was mayor of Bridgeport.”

One other defendant has already accepted a deal with prosecutors. Josephine Edmonds, who worked for Ganim’s 2019 opponent, pleaded guilty to witness tampering and illegally possessing ballots in July. She is expected to receive a three-year suspended sentence later this month.

Prosecutors did not indicate any plea offers are coming – yet – for the bigger alleged players, like Wanda Geter-Pataky, as well as city council members Alfredo Castillo and Maria Pereira.

Geter-Pataky is the former city worker seen stuffing absentee ballots into drop boxes on surveillance video. She faces more than 100 counts of ballot crimes in both the 2019 and 2023 races. Geter-Pataky was a top lieutenant for Ganim's campaigns – even appearing at his victory party after a judge tossed out the 2023 Democratic primary.

Geter-Pataky ignored reporters’ questions on Tuesday. Her attorney declined to say if she would consider a deal with prosecutors.

“It’s always part of discussions in any case, so, you know, that’s something that always comes up in a pre-trial,” said attorney John Gulash.

One suspect will not be taking a deal.

Former Bridgeport City Councilwoman Jazmarie Melendez told the judge she wants to go to trial – even if it means up to 30 years in prison.

“My client is innocent and will be taking no offer,” attorney Alex Taubes told the judge.

On Tuesday, three campaign operatives charged with additional ballot crimes in July pleaded not guilty, including Castillo. Prosecutors also charged the councilman with 10 counts of illegally possessing absentee ballots last month.

Geter-Pataky also pleaded not guilty to contacting witnesses in her case.

Most of the suspects will return to court on Nov. 4 – which, coincidentally, is Election Day.