Rhode Island Voters Approve All 7 Questions In Special Election

PROVIDENCE, RI — Tuesday was Election Day in Rhode Island. Voters went to the polls, cast their ballots early at their town or city hall or voted by mail to approve or reject seven statewide budget questions. The results are in, and all seven questions were approved, most by a healthy margin.

Budget referenda are usually included on the general election ballot in November. This year, the state budget was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic until after the election, forcing the special election in March.

Much of the state and municipal funding for this election came from a grant Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea's office received in 2020.

The seven questions are summarized below, along with a breakdown of vote counts from the Rhode Island Board of Elections.

Question One

$107.3 million for higher education, including $57.3 million for a fine arts center at URI, $38 million for the Clarke Science Building at RIC and $12 million to renovate CCRI's campuses.

Approve: 59,145 votes, 58.9 percent

• Polling place: 11,319
• Mail ballots: 4,707
• Emergency ballots: 43,119

Reject: 41,252 votes, 41.1 percent

• Polling place: 12,616
• Mail ballots: 4,441
• Emergency ballots: 24,195

Question Two

$74 million for environment and recreational projects, a total of $10 million over the governor's original proposal.

Approve: 77,954 votes, 77.9 percent

• Polling place: 15,208
• Mail ballots: 6,255
• Emergency ballots: 56,491

Reject: 22,147 votes, 22.1 percent

• Polling place: 8,697
• Mail ballots: 2,895
• Emergency ballots: 10,555

Question Three

$65 million for affordable housing, an increase of $40 million over the original proposal, included in the amendment offered by the governor in July.

Approve: 65,210 votes, 65.5 percent

• Polling place: 11,732
• Mail ballots: 5,008
• Emergency ballots: 48,470

Reject: 34,288 votes, 34.5 percent

• Polling place: 11,995
• Mail ballots: 4,046
• Emergency ballots: 18,247

Question Four

$71.7 million for transportation initiatives.

Approve: 80,667 votes, 80.4 percent

• Polling place: 16,049
• Mail ballots: 6,650
• Emergency ballots: 57,968

Reject: 19,672 votes, 19.6 percent

• Polling place: 7,853
• Mail ballots: 2,499
• Emergency ballots: 9,320

Question Five

$15 million for early childhood care and the educational capital fund.

Approve: 66,438 votes, 66.2 percent

• Polling place: 12,252
• Mail ballots: 5,162
• Emergency ballots: 49,024

Reject: 33,876 votes, 33.8 percent

• Polling place: 11,662
• Mail ballots: 3,996
• Emergency ballots: 18,218

Question Six

$7 million for arts and cultural infrastructure, including $6 million for the cultural arts and economy grant program, and $1 million for the state preservation grants program.

Approve: 60,104 votes, 60 percent

• Polling place: 11,392
• Mail ballots: 4,756
• Emergency ballots: 43,956

Reject: 40,063 votes, 40 percent

• Polling place: 12,449
• Mail ballots: 4,365
• Emergency ballots: 23,249

Question Seven

$60 million for commerce infrastructure, including $20 million for the Port of Davisville at Quonset and $40 million for industrial site development.

Approve: 58,713 votes, 58.7 percent

• Polling place: 11,646
• Mail ballots: 5,029
• Emergency ballots: 42,038

Reject: 41,226 votes, 41.3 percent

• Polling place: 12,134
• Mail ballots: 4,082
• Emergency ballots: 25,010