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Rhode Island state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 7
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
| 2018 Rhode Island General Assembly elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | September 12, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Republican primary elections for the seats in the Rhode Island State Senate and the Rhode Island House of Representatives were on September 12, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in Rhode Island, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was June 27, 2018. In the state Senate, all 38 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 75 seats were up for election.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Two state House Republicans did not seek re-election in 2018.
- Patricia Morgan (District 26)
- Robert Nardolillo (District 28)
Two state Senate Republicans did not seek re-election in 2018.
- Nicholas Kettle (District 21)[1]
- Mark Gee (District 35)
Incumbents defeated
No incumbents were defeated in the 2018 primaries.
Competitiveness
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 113 | 15 | 192 | 30 | 3 | 14.6% | 18 | 18.4% |
| 2016 | 113 | 7 | 180 | 29 | 6 | 15.5% | 18 | 17.0% |
| 2014 | 113 | 7 | 171 | 23 | 3 | 11.5% | 17 | 16.0% |
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Rhode Island House of Representatives and the Rhode Island State Senate as of September 2018:
Rhode Island House of Representatives
| Party | As of September 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 64 | |
| Republican Party | 11 | |
| Independent | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 75 | |
Rhode Island State Senate
| Party | As of September 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 33 | |
| Republican Party | 4 | |
| Vacancies | 1 | |
| Total | 38 | |
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election.
Rhode Island utilizes a semi-closed primary system. Unaffiliated voters may vote in a party's primary without affiliating with that party. Voters that are affiliated with a party at the time of the primary election may only vote in that party's primary.[2][3][4]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
Polls in Rhode Island open at 7 a.m. Eastern Time except in New Shoreham, where they open at 9 a.m. All polls statewide close at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[5]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Rhode Island, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Rhode Island, and at least 16 years old. To voter, one must be at least 18 years old by Election Day.[6] Applicants can register online, by mailing in a voter registration form, or in person at the local board of canvassers or other state agencies such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Human Services, or the Department of Mental Health.[6]
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter registration
Rhode Island enacted automatic voter registration in 2017.[7]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Rhode Island has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
- See also: Same-day voter registration
| “ | Rhode Island allows for same day voter registration for the Presidential Election only. If you miss the voter registration deadline, you can register to vote on Election Day, but you will only be able to vote for President and Vice President. You will not be able to vote in any state, local, or other federal races. You can only register and vote on Election Day at the location designated by your local board of canvassers.[6][8] | ” |
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Rhode Island, you must be a resident of the state.
Verification of citizenship
Rhode Island does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[9] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The Rhode Island Department of State allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voter ID requirements
Rhode Island requires voters to present photo identification (ID) while voting. Accepted forms of ID include a Rhode Island driver's license, Rhode Island voter ID card, and U.S. passport. For a list of all accepted forms of ID, see below.
The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Rhode Island Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
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- *The Rhode Island Secretary of State's office is issuing free voter photo ID cards to individuals who do not possess any of the valid Photo IDs listed above. For additional information, visit Rhode Island's online Voter Information Center, call 401-222-2340, or email elections@sos.ri.gov.
Early voting
Rhode Island permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
All Rhode Island voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail.[10]
Absentee ballot applications must be received by your local board of canvassers by 4 p.m. 21 days prior to the election. Completed absentee ballots must then be received by your local board of canvassers by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Should circumstances arise within 20 days of an election that will prevent a voter from making it to the polls on Election Day, he or she may qualify for an emergency mail ballot. More information regarding the emergency mail ballot process can be found here.[10][11][12]
See also
- Rhode Island state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Rhode Island State Senate elections, 2018
- Rhode Island State Legislature
- Rhode Island elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Kettle resigned in February 2018 after being indicted for video voyeurism and extortion.
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Bill Track 50, "RI H7662," accessed July 21, 2024
- ↑ State of Rhode Island General Assembly, "R.I. Gen. Laws § 17–9.1-23 ," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Rhode Island Department of State, "Election Day Voting Hours," accessed September 24, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Rhode Island Department of State, "Register to Vote," accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Providence Journal, “Raimondo signs automatic voter registration bill into law,” August 1, 2017
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Rhode Island Department of State, "Vote from Home with a Mail Ballot," accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Rhode Island Department of State, "Apply for a Mail Ballot," accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Rhode Island Department of State, "Vote by Emergency Mail Ballot," accessed April 18, 2023
