elections

Rhode Islanders will go to the polls Tuesday to vote in a primary election. The general lack of high-profile races is expected to result in a low turnout of voters. 

Longtime North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi faces a challenge from fellow Democrat Kristen Catanzaro in Tuesday's primary election. The race is the hardest-fought mayoral contest in this week’s election.

On a recent afternoon, North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi showed off 19 acres of forested preservation land at Camp Meehan, near the town’s border with Smithfield. Sunlight gleamed nearby on the blue water of the Wenscott Reservoir, a scene so bucolic you’d never know that busy Mineral Spring Avenue is only about a mile away.

Rhode Islanders considering running for public office have an upcoming opportunity to learn about campaign fundamentals. The non-partisan good government group Operation Clean Government is staging its latest “Candidate School” on June 4 at Rhode Island College. The head of Operation Clean Government, Margaret Kane, stopped by our studio to discuss the event.

Rhode Island’s presidential primary is less than two weeks away, and we are listening to voters from across the State. Rhode Island Public Radio producer Martin Gallogly talked to husband and wife Mimi and Bruce Bartlett at Gary's Handy Lunch, a diner in Newport.

The Bartletts say one of their biggest concerns is national security, but they disagree with Donald Trump's proposals to deport immigrants, and build a wall along the Mexican border. They plan to vote for a Democrat but they are still unsure which one.

Gina Raimondo made history Tuesday night as the first woman to get elected as governor of Rhode Island. Raimondo is also the first Democrat to win the state’s top job in 22 years.

Raimondo beat Republican rival Allan Fung with unofficial numbers showing her with 40 percent to Fung’s 36 percent, with Moderate Party candidate Robert Healey drawing 22 percent of the vote.

Latinos in Rhode Island make up 8.6 percent of eligible voters in the state. And that is why the Ocean State is one of 12 where the share of eligible Latino voters is larger than the current polling margin between gubernatorial candidates, according to a report by Latino Decisions, a survey research organization specializing in voting behaviors among Latinos.

Despite two close races and a controversial vote on gambling in Newport, The Rhode Island Secretary of State is predicting only moderate voter turnout for today’s mid-term elections.  But the hope is for better numbers than 2010.

That’s because this year has an extremely tight and potentially landmark governor’s race on the line.  Latest polling numbers show Democrat Gina Raimondo and Republican Allan Fung neck in neck.  Secretary of State Ralph Mollis says his office is hoping for about fifty percent of eligible voters to exercise their right.

Rhode Islanders head to the polls in just a few short days.  In addition to the major races, voters will also decide on spending bonds.  There are four of them. 

For this month’s Artscape, and as part of our Rhody Votes ’14 coverage we’re looking into question Five: the arts and culture bond.  Rhode Island Public Radio's John Bender spoke with morning host Elisabeth Harrison.

For all of our election coverage, visit the Rhody Votes '14 page at our website here

Besides the competitive state elections and ballot questions, voters next week will elect every member of the Rhode Island General Assembly. As part of our Rhody Votes ’14 coverage, RIPR political analyst Scott MacKay speaks with morning host Elisabeth Harrison for a look at the major battles in the state legislature.

Now for some Rhode Island election coverage that doesn’t involve the red-hot governor’s race.  Instead, we’re looking at the race one notch down on the ballot: lieutenant governor.

Rhode Island Public Radio’s Scott MacKay sat down with Republican Lt. Governor candidate Catherine Taylor to talk about health insurance, a constitutional convention, and whether the office should even exist.