Edith Ajello

Edith Ajello

Democratic Party

Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Tenure

1993 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

33

Compensation

Base salary

$19,817/year

Per diem

No per diem is paid.

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Bucknell University

Contact

Official website

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Edith Ajello (Democratic Party) is a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, representing District 1. She assumed office in 1993. Her current term ends on January 5, 2027.

Ajello (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Rhode Island House of Representatives to represent District 1. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Ajello earned her B.A. from Bucknell University in 1966. Her professional experience includes working as the Interim Executive Director of Volunteers in Providence Schools in 1993 and as Store Manager of V. George Rustigian Rugs from 1981 to 1993, and again from 1994 to the present. Ajello served on the Democratic State Committee for the 3rd District from 1993 to 1998.

Committee assignments

2021-2022

Ajello was assigned to the following committees:

• House Judiciary Committee
• Oversight Committee
• State Government and Elections Committee

2019-2020

Ajello was assigned to the following committees:

• Oversight Committee

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Rhode Island committee assignments, 2017
• Judiciary, Vice chair

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Ajello served on the following committees:

Rhode Island committee assignments, 2015
• Judiciary

2013-2014

In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Ajello served on the following committees:

Rhode Island committee assignments, 2013
• Judiciary, Chair

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Ajello served on these committees:

Rhode Island committee assignments, 2011
• Judiciary, Chair
• Oversight

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Ajello served on these committees:

Rhode Island committee assignments, 2009
• Judiciary

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2024

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Incumbent Edith Ajello won election in the general election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edith Ajello (D)	98.1	3,395
		Other/Write-in votes	1.9	67

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,462
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Incumbent Edith Ajello advanced from the Democratic primary for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 on September 10, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edith Ajello	100.0	662

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 662
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Ajello in this election.

2022

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Incumbent Edith Ajello defeated Thomas O'Connell in the general election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edith Ajello (D)	87.5	2,444
	Submit photo	Thomas O'Connell (Independent)	11.9	332
		Other/Write-in votes	0.6	16

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,792
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Incumbent Edith Ajello advanced from the Democratic primary for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 on September 13, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edith Ajello	100.0	1,552

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,552
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2020

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Incumbent Edith Ajello won election in the general election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edith Ajello (D)	97.2	3,943
		Other/Write-in votes	2.8	115

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,058
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Incumbent Edith Ajello advanced from the Democratic primary for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 on September 8, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edith Ajello	100.0	97

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 97
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

General election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Incumbent Edith Ajello won election in the general election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edith Ajello (D)	97.8	3,472
		Other/Write-in votes	2.2	79

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,551
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Incumbent Edith Ajello advanced from the Democratic primary for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 on September 12, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edith Ajello	100.0	1,787

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,787
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Rhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and a general election would have taken place on November 8, 2016, if no candidate had won a majority of votes in the primary. The candidate filing deadline was June 29, 2016.

Incumbent Edith Ajello defeated Raymond Mathieu in the Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 general election.

Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 1 General Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Edith Ajello Incumbent	67.94%	2,963
	Independent	Raymond Mathieu	32.06%	1,398
Total Votes				4,361
Source: Rhode Island State Board of Elections

Incumbent Edith Ajello ran unopposed in the Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 Democratic primary.

Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 1 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Democratic	Edith Ajello Incumbent (unopposed)

2014

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Rhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on September 9, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 25, 2014. Incumbent Edith Ajello defeated Nathaniel Hannah in the Democratic primary. Ajello was unchallenged in the general election.

Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 1 Democratic Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Edith Ajello Incumbent	78.6%	1,392
Nathaniel Hannah	21.4%	380
Total Votes		1,772

2012

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2012

Ajello won re-election in the 2012 election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District. Ajello was unopposed in the September 11 Democratic primary and defeated Francisco L. Gonzalez (I) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.

Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 1, General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Edith Ajello Incumbent	79.4%	2,890
	Independent	Francisco L. Gonzalez	20%	727
	Other	Write-in	0.6%	22
Total Votes				3,639

2010

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2010

Ajello won re-election to the 3rd District seat in 2010. She had no primary opposition and defeated Republican Daniel Harrop in the general election on November 2, 2010.

2008

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2008

In 2008, Ajello was re-elected to the Rhode Island House District 3. Ajello (D) ran unopposed and finished with 3,439 votes. Ajello raised $12,298 for her campaign fund.

Rhode Island House District 3
Candidates		Votes
Edith Ajello (D)		3,439

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Edith Ajello did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Edith Ajello did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Edith Ajello did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

---

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Edith Ajello campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024	Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1	Won general	$2,138	$0
2022	Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1	Won general	$11,204	$0
2020	Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1	Won general	$1,960	N/A**
2018	Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1	Won general	$11,772	N/A**
2016	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 1	Won	$16,185	N/A**
2014	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 1	Won	$11,560	N/A**
2012	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 1	Won	$13,264	N/A**
2010	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 3	Won	$13,605	N/A**
2008	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 3	Won	$11,605	N/A**
2006	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 3	Won	$10,380	N/A**
2004	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 3	Won	$16,990	N/A**
2002	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 3	Won	$1,750	N/A**
2000	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 3	Won	$942	N/A**
1998	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 3	Won	$2,755	N/A**
1996	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 3	Won	$500	N/A**
1994	Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 3	Won	$1,550	N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in Rhode Island

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

• 2025
• 2024
• 2023
• 2022
• 2021
• 2020
• 2019
• 2018
• 2017
• 2016
• 2015
• 2014
• 2013
• 2012
• 2011

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2025.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are tracked on their votes related to civil liberties.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2024.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are tracked on their votes related to civil liberties.
• Environment Council of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy.
• National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
• The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2023.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are tracked on their votes related to civil liberties.
• The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
• The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2022.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are tracked on their votes related to civil liberties.
• Common Cause Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on a variety of issues of interest to the organization.
• Environment Council of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy.
• National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2021.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are tracked on their votes related to civil liberties.
• Common Cause Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on a variety of issues of interest to the organization.
• Environment Council of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy.
• The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2020.

• National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
• The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2019.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are tracked on their votes related to civil liberties.
• The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2018.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to civil liberties.
• The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2017.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to civil liberties.
• The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2016.

• Environment Council of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.
• National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
• Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity — Legislators are scored by the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity on their votes "affecting free-market, small-government, or constitutional principles."
• The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2015.

• Environment Council of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.
• Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity — Legislators are scored by the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity on their votes "affecting free-market, small-government, or constitutional principles."
• The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2014.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored based on their votes on bills related to civil liberties.
• Environment Council of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
• National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
• Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity — Legislators are scored by the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity on their votes "affecting free-market, small-government, or constitutional principles."

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2013.

• ACLU of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored based on their votes on bills related to civil liberties.
• Environment Council of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
• National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
• Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity — Legislators are scored by the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity on their votes "affecting free-market, small-government, or constitutional principles."

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2012.

• Environment Council of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
• Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity — Legislators are scored by the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity on their votes "affecting free-market, small-government, or constitutional principles."

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2011.

• Environment Council of Rhode Island — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.

Ajello is divorced and has two children.

Noteworthy events

Grants to nonprofit organizations

In 2012, Rhode Island lawmakers issued $1.9 million in legislative grants to nonprofit organizations. These grants were awarded on a nonpartisan basis by House Speaker Gordon Fox and Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed and were chosen based on the merits of the organizations' applications and requests by individual lawmakers. Though the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that the legislature has the authority to create grants as part of the budget, some critics called these grants wasteful government spending and said the money could be used to influence votes. Lawmakers in support of the grants claimed that they went to community organizations that were struggling to fill fundraising gaps or make up for a lack of resources that may no longer be available at the municipal level. According to an August 2013 report in Go Local Prov News, Ajello was among the top 25 lawmakers who sponsored the most in grant funding, obtaining $25,000 for community organizations.

See also

2024 Elections

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External links

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Candidate

Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Website

Facebook

Officeholder

Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1

Website

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1 1993-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

Current members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:K. Shekarchi

Majority Leader:Christopher Blazejewski

Minority Leader:Michael Chippendale

Representatives

District 1

Edith Ajello (D)

District 2

Christopher Blazejewski (D)

District 3

Nathan Biah (D)

District 4

Rebecca Kislak (D)

District 5

Anthony DeSimone (D)

District 6

Raymond Hull (D)

District 7

David Morales (D)

District 8

John Lombardi (D)

District 9

Enrique Sanchez (D)

District 10

Scott Slater (D)

District 11

Grace Diaz (D)

District 12

Jose Batista (D)

District 13

Ramon Perez (D)

District 14

Charlene Lima (D)

District 15

Chris Paplauskas (R)

District 16

Brandon Potter (D)

District 17

Jacquelyn Baginski (D)

District 18

Arthur Handy (D)

District 19

Joseph McNamara (D)

District 20

David Bennett (D)

District 21

Marie Hopkins (R)

District 22

Joseph Solomon (D)

District 23

K. Shekarchi (D)

District 24

Evan Shanley (D)

District 25

Thomas Noret (D)

District 26

Earl Read (D)

District 27

Patricia Serpa (D)

District 28

George Nardone (R)

District 29

Sherry Roberts (R)

District 30

Justine Caldwell (D)

District 31

Julie Casimiro (D)

District 32

Robert Craven (D)

District 33

Carol McEntee (D)

District 34

Teresa Tanzi (D)

District 35

Kathleen Fogarty (D)

District 36

Tina Spears (D)

District 37

Samuel Azzinaro (D)

District 38

Brian Kennedy (D)

District 39

Megan Cotter (D)

District 40

Michael Chippendale (R)

District 41

Robert Quattrocchi (R)

District 42

Richard Fascia (R)

District 43

Deborah Fellela (D)

District 44

Gregory Costantino (D)

District 45

Mia Ackerman (D)

District 46

Mary Shallcross-Smith (D)

District 47

David Place (R)

District 48

Brian Newberry (R)

District 49

Jon Brien (I)

District 50

Stephen Casey (D)

District 51

Robert Phillips (D)

District 52

Alex Marszalkowski (D)

District 53

Paul Santucci (R)

District 54

William O'Brien (D)

District 55

Arthur Corvese (D)

District 56

Joshua Giraldo (D)

District 57

Brandon Voas (D)

District 58

Cherie Cruz (D)

District 59

Jennifer Stewart (D)

District 60

Karen Alzate (D)

District 61

Leonela Felix (D)

District 62

Mary Messier (D)

District 63

Katherine Kazarian (D)

District 64

Jenni Furtado (D)

District 65

Matthew Dawson (D)

District 66

Jennifer Boylan (D)

District 67

Jason Knight (D)

District 68

June Speakman (D)

District 69

Susan Donovan (D)

District 70

John Edwards (D)

District 71

Michelle McGaw (D)

District 72

Terri-Denise Cortvriend (D)

District 73

Marvin Abney (D)

District 74

Alex Finkelman (D)

District 75

Lauren Carson (D)

Democratic Party (64)

Republican Party (10)

Independent (1)