Rhode Island
Turnout cracks nearly 10% in a R.I. primary with very few contested races • Rhode Island Current
With very few contested races on the ballot, Rhode Island’s state and local primary races didn’t drive voters to the polls in droves.
Just before polls closed at 8 p.m. there were 77,376 votes cast, representing just over 9.9% of the more than 781,000 total registered voters.
Results are preliminary and unofficial, with final counts including remaining mail ballots and those from overseas and military voters expected by Sept. 18, according to the Rhode Island Board of Elections.
By comparison, turnout was 14.5% during the 2020 primary and 16.9% in 2022 — though the latter also saw a close gubernatorial race and contested primaries for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District.
Tuesday’s low turnout was expected, said Providence College Associate Professor of Political Science Adam Myers.
“In this state we’re so used to not having competitive races that folks just kind of dive into the habit of not voting in primaries,” he told Rhode Island Current. “There’s very little going on — I don’t blame people for not turning out today.”
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, offered a more optimistic take on the quiet polling places in his district.
“I think a lot of people voted early or voted by mail,” Shekarchi said in an interview Tuesday afternoon.
Shekarchi is among the 57 sitting legislators (out of 113 seats) without a primary or general election challenge this year. Only 18 legislative races featured primary contests, all Democratic.
Overshadowing the primary races for many voters — and candidates — was the presidential debate.
Pam Leary, one of three Democrats vying for the open seat in Senate District 25 in Johnston, said in an interview Monday that she planned to host family and friends to her home, not to watch election results, but to catch the debate.
Several political watch parties, including one organized by Shekarchi at Lemongrass restaurant in Warwick, promised double features of election results and the debate. Shekarchi provided reporters with election results while holding a stick of beef teriyaki.
“To me, it means people are satisfied with the status quo,” he said in an interview at his watch party.
Before enjoying the festivities, Shekarchi first had to fit in an appearance at the Warwick Zoning Board of Review on behalf of one his law practice clients.
Myers, meanwhile, said the debate should have had the opposite effect.
“One would hope that would spur people to vote,” he said.
Incumbent Democratic U.S. Reps. Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner ran unopposed in their respective primaries, as did their Republican challengers — Allen Waters and Steven Corvi.
There was slightly more action in the races for the U.S. Senate, with state Rep. Patricia Morgan of West Warwick besting former Warwick City Administrator Raymond McKay in the Republican primary. U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse easily fended off a challenge from Michael Costa, a former Republican who briefly ran for governor in 2022, in the Democratic race.
“But that was kind of in the bag for Whitehouse,” Myers said. “There was nothing really on that ballot that was going to drive people to the polls.”
The exception: Cranston, which had a very heated Republican mayoral primary, in addition to a pair of a trio of contested state legislative primary races. Unaffiliated voters were forced to choose between casting ballots in the Republican mayoral primary or participating in one or more Democratic legislative matchups, such as House District 14, or 16, and Senate District 28.
Rhode Island’s second largest city led the state in turnout with 10,455 ballots cast by the time polls closed, representing 18.7% of the city’s 56,000 active, registered voters.
Mail ballots rule in Providence
Providence led the mail ballot front, with 2,201 ballots received by Tuesday night, according to data from the Secretary of State’s office.
The prevalence of mail ballots in the capital city was the key strategy for Democratic Rep. Enrique Sanchez in his reelection bid for House District 9 against challengers Anastacia Williams and Santos Javier.
“We were able to flip a lot of voters,” Sanchez told Rhode Island Current while campaigning on Cranston Street in Providence at 10:30 a.m. “I’d go to people’s houses before their ballots were sent out and told people about me and they told me they’d change their votes.”
But the strategy wasn’t without controversy, as complaints by all three candidates accused opponents of alleged mail ballot tampering. Complaints lodged with state and local agencies, including Providence Police and the Rhode Island Board of Elections, remained under investigation as of Tuesday.
More than 11,000 mail ballots statewide were submitted to the Board of Elections — which had processed roughly 90% of those votes as of 3 p.m., said Robert Quinn, who oversees mail ballots and voter registration.
Low turnout didn’t make tabulation easier, though, said Quinn.
“We still have to go through the same steps all the way through,” he said. “It’s still the same carousel here — still the same long two to three weeks.”
The general election will be held on Nov. 5.
Senior Reporter Nancy Lavin contributed to this story.
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island General Assembly Begins 2026 Session With Focus on Affordability – Newport Buzz
PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island lawmakers opened the 2026 legislative session this week with a focus on health care affordability, housing costs and economic stability, as leaders in both chambers warned of uncertainty tied to federal budget changes.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi outlined House priorities centered on expanding access to health care while lowering costs, calling it the chamber’s top agenda item for the year. He also said lawmakers will continue addressing housing shortages and rising home energy costs, emphasizing the need for community input as policy decisions move forward.
In the Senate, President Valarie J. Lawson convened the chamber by urging bipartisan cooperation and announcing plans to introduce legislation supporting education, small businesses and the state’s health care system. Stabilizing hospitals and strengthening the primary care workforce were identified as key goals.
Both chambers paused to honor victims of the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown University, passing resolutions recognizing the victims and commending first responders. Lawmakers also observed a moment of silence.
New legislation introduced by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara would require the Department of Education to adopt a zero-tolerance hazing policy in partnership with the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, mandating clear and consistent discipline statewide.
Meanwhile, Reps. David Morales and Jennifer Stewart called on Gov. Dan McKee to fully fund public libraries in the upcoming state budget.
Speaker Shekarchi also announced several committee leadership changes, appointing Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee as chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee and Rep. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith as chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee.
The week also marked the first Senate session for Sen. Stefano V. Famiglietti, who received committee assignments following his election to fill a vacant seat.
Legislative leaders capped the week by joining faith leaders at the 18th annual Rhode Island Interfaith Poverty Vigil at the State House, calling attention to legislation aimed at reducing poverty statewide.
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Related
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
05-12-13-39-48, Lucky Ball: 13
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Numbers numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
Midday: 9-9-1-3
Evening: 0-9-6-6
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
01-07-12-30-35, Extra: 26
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
- Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
- Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.
When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Union leaders for Rhode Island state employees are publicly airing frustrations with the state’s new payroll system following weeks of complaints, claiming many state workers have had problems receiving their full pay.
Rhode Island Council 94, the largest state workers’ union with more than 4,500 members, and the union representing correctional officers issued press releases Thursday calling on the state to fix the system that rolled out in early December.
The new system is operated by Workday, a company that provides services to more than 10,000 companies and organizations, including other states.
“Simply put, Workday is not working,” Council 94 President Michael McDonald wrote in a statement.
The unions claim problems for state employees include missing pay, partial pay, missing overtime pay, incorrect or no holiday pay, and benefits deductions not sent to accounts.
Council 94 says the state has worked on some solutions, but complaints and calls to a hotline mount.
“The state, in meeting after meeting, urges patience. Our members mortgage payments, grocery bills, childcare, fuel costs and other expenses do not pause for payroll processing errors. The payroll errors have touched every state agency,” Council 94 State Vice President John Monse stated.
The unions say they’ve brought the complaints to state officials, including Gov. Dan McKee.
“While some prior errors were corrected, the continued recurrence demonstrates a systemic payroll breakdown, not isolated mistakes,” the Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers wrote in its statement.
NBC 10 News messaged the governor’s office and the Department of Administration before noon Thursday.
The governor’s office later referred comment to Administration, which has not responded to NBC 10’s messages.
The unions are calling for legislative oversight hearings into the matter and are considering legal action.
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