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Rhode Island state legislative districts

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There are 113 seats in the Rhode Island General Assembly. All 38 seats in the Rhode Island State Senate and all 75 seats in the Rhode Island House of Representatives are up for election every two years.

Chambers

Click the following tabs for more information about each chamber:

Senate

The Rhode Island State Senate is composed of 38 Senators, each of whom is elected to a two-year term. There is no limit to the number of terms that a Senator may serve.

As of the 2020 Census, Rhode Island state senators represented an average of 28,899 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 27,770 residents.

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

A candidate for the Rhode Island General Assembly must:[1]

  • Be a U.S. citizen
  • Be a registered voter
  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Be a state resident for at least 30 days preceding the election
  • Be a resident of the district the candidate is running to represent

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in the Rhode Island General Assembly, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The secretary of state must call for an election to be held anywhere from 70 to 90 days after the vacancy occurred. No election can be held if the vacancy happens after the first Monday in February during an election year. The person elected to fill the seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term.[2]

DocumentIcon.jpg See sources: Rhode Island Gen. Laws § 17-3-6


Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[3]
SalaryPer diem
$19,037/yearNo per diem is paid.

Districts

These are links to every district in the Rhode Island State Senate.


Office
Rhode Island State Senate District 1
Rhode Island State Senate District 2
Rhode Island State Senate District 3
Rhode Island State Senate District 4
Rhode Island State Senate District 5
Rhode Island State Senate District 6
Rhode Island State Senate District 7
Rhode Island State Senate District 8
Rhode Island State Senate District 9
Rhode Island State Senate District 10
Rhode Island State Senate District 11
Rhode Island State Senate District 12
Rhode Island State Senate District 13
Rhode Island State Senate District 14
Rhode Island State Senate District 15
Rhode Island State Senate District 16
Rhode Island State Senate District 17
Rhode Island State Senate District 18
Rhode Island State Senate District 19
Rhode Island State Senate District 20
Rhode Island State Senate District 21
Rhode Island State Senate District 22
Rhode Island State Senate District 23
Rhode Island State Senate District 24
Rhode Island State Senate District 25
Rhode Island State Senate District 26
Rhode Island State Senate District 27
Rhode Island State Senate District 28
Rhode Island State Senate District 29
Rhode Island State Senate District 30
Rhode Island State Senate District 31
Rhode Island State Senate District 32
Rhode Island State Senate District 33
Rhode Island State Senate District 34
Rhode Island State Senate District 35
Rhode Island State Senate District 36
Rhode Island State Senate District 37
Rhode Island State Senate District 38


House

The Rhode Island House of Representatives is composed of 75 Representatives, each of whom is elected to a two year term. The Rhode Island General Assembly does not have term limits.

As of the 2020 Census, Rhode Island state representatives represented an average of 14,642 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 14,070 residents.

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

A candidate for the Rhode Island General Assembly must:[4]

  • Be a U.S. citizen
  • Be a registered voter
  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Be a state resident for at least 30 days preceding the election
  • Be a resident of the district the candidate is running to represent

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in the Rhode Island General Assembly, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The secretary of state must call for an election to be held anywhere from 70 to 90 days after the vacancy occurred. No election can be held if the vacancy happens after the first Monday in February during an election year. The person elected to fill the seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term.[5]

DocumentIcon.jpg See sources: Rhode Island Gen. Laws § 17-3-6


Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[6]
SalaryPer diem
$19,037/yearNo per diem is paid.

Districts

These are links to every district in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.


Office
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 1
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 2
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 3
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 4
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 5
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 6
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 7
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 8
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 9
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 10
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 11
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 12
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 13
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 14
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 15
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 16
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 17
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 18
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 19
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 20
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 21
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 22
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 23
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 24
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 25
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 26
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 27
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 28
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 29
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 30
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 31
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 32
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 33
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 34
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 35
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 36
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 37
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 38
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 39
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 40
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 41
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 42
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 43
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 44
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 45
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 46
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 47
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 48
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 49
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 50
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 51
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 52
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 53
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 54
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 55
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 56
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 57
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 58
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 59
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 60
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 61
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 62
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 63
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 64
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 65
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 66
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 67
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 68
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 69
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 70
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 71
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 72
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 73
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 74
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 75

Redistricting

In Rhode Island, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the Rhode Island General Assembly. These lines are subject to veto by the governor.[7]

An 18-member advisory commission established in 2011 can recommend congressional and state legislative redistricting plans to the state legislature. The legislature may "adopt, modify, or ignore the commission's proposals." The composition of the commission is as follows:[7]

  1. The majority leader of the Rhode Island State Senate chooses four commissioners who are state legislators and three who are not, for a total of seven commissioners.
  2. The majority leader of the Rhode Island House of Representatives chooses four commissioners who are state legislators and three who are not, for a total of seven commissioners.
  3. The minority leader of the Rhode Island State Senate chooses two commissioners who are state legislators.
  4. The minority leader of the Rhode Island House of Representatives chooses two commissioners who are state legislators.

The Rhode Island Constitution requires that state legislative districts be compact.[7]

State statutes require that congressional and state legislative districts meet the following criteria:[7]

  1. Districts should be contiguous.
  2. Districts should "reflect natural, historical, geographical, and municipal and other political lines, 'as well as the right of all Rhode Islanders to fair representation and equal access to the political process.'"
  3. "The lines of state House, state Senate and congressional districts [should] coincide–or at least, if they do not overlap completely, they should avoid creating voting precincts with distinct ballot options where the precinct has fewer than 100 people."

Rhode Island enacted new legislative district boundaries on February 16, 2022, when Gov. Dan McKee (D) signed redistricting legislation approved by the General Assembly. The State House of Representatives passed the new maps by a vote of 57-6 and the State Senate approved them, 29-9, on February 15, 2022. In a press release issued after Gov. McKee signed the legislation, State Representative Robert Phillips (D), co-chair of the state's legislative Reapportionment Commission, said, "It was an honor and pleasure to work with such a dedicated group of individuals on this commission. I’m particularly proud of the fact that we obtained so much input from citizens around the state, holding our meetings in several cities and towns to make it more accessible to everyone. Reapportionment can be daunting and complex, but I’m glad we took everyone’s concerns into account and came up with a fair and equitable system of reapportionment.”[8][9][10][11]

The Providence Journal's Patrick Anderson and Katherine Gregg wrote "Although some district boundaries changed a lot, the new maps did not put any incumbent General Assembly members in the same district, forcing them to run against each other. But the maps did draw some would-be challengers out of their current districts, potentially protecting incumbents from a tough reelection battle.[12] Edward Fitzpatrick of the Boston Globe wrote that "critics have said both Democratic and Republican incumbents were allowed to shape their districts during private meetings with the state’s long-time redistricting consultant."[13]

Senate elections

Rhode Island state senators serve two-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years. Rhode Island holds elections for its legislature in even years.

2026

See also: Rhode Island State Senate elections, 2026

Elections for the Rhode Island State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.

2024

See also: Rhode Island State Senate elections, 2024

Elections for the Rhode Island State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was September 10, 2024. The filing deadline was June 26, 2024.

Prior to the 2024 elections, Democrats held a 31-5 majority in the Rhode Island State Senate, with two vacant seats. After the 2024 elections, Democrats held a 34-4 majority.


Rhode Island State Senate
Party As of November 5, 2024 After November 6, 2024
     Democratic Party 31 34
     Republican Party 5 4
     Vacancy 2 0
Total 38 38

2022

See also: Rhode Island State Senate elections, 2022

Elections for the Rhode Island State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for September 13, 2022. The filing deadline was July 15, 2022.

In the 2022 elections, Democrats maintained their majority of 33-5 in the Rhode Island State Senate.


Rhode Island State Senate
Party As of November 8, 2022 After November 9, 2022
     Democratic Party 33 33
     Republican Party 5 5
Total 38 38

2020

See also: Rhode Island State Senate elections, 2020

Elections for the office of Rhode Island State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for September 8, 2020. The filing deadline was June 24, 2020.

In the 2020 elections, Democrats maintained their majority of 33-5 in the Rhode Island State Senate.

Rhode Island State Senate
Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
     Democratic Party 33 33
     Republican Party 5 5
Total 38 38

2018

See also: Rhode Island State Senate elections, 2018

Elections for the Rhode Island State Senate took place in 2018. A hybrid primary election took place on September 12, 2018, and the general election was held on November 6, 2018.[14] The candidate filing deadline was June 27, 2018.[15]

In the 2018 elections, Democrats maintained control of the Rhode Island State Senate.

Rhode Island State Senate
Party As of November 6, 2018 After November 7, 2018
     Democratic Party 33 33
     Republican Party 4 5
     Vacancy 1 0
Total 38 38

2016

See also: Rhode Island State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Rhode Island State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 29, 2016. All 38 seats in the Rhode Island State Senate were up for election in 2016.

Heading into the election, Democrats held a 32-5 majority with one Independent member. Democrats gained one seat in the election, giving them a 33-5 majority.

Rhode Island State Senate
Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
     Democratic Party 32 33
     Republican Party 5 5
     Independent 1 0
Total 38 38

House elections

Rhode Island state representatives serve two-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years. Rhode Island holds elections for its legislature in even years.

2026

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2026

Elections for the Rhode Island House of Representatives will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.

2024

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2024

Elections for the Rhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was September 10, 2024. The filing deadline was June 26, 2024.

In the 2024 elections, the Democratic majority decreased from 65-9 to 64-10, with one seat held by an independent.


Rhode Island House of Representatives
Party As of November 5, 2024 After November 6, 2024
     Democratic Party 65 64
     Republican Party 9 10
     Independent 1 1
Total 75 75

2022

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2022

Elections for the Rhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for September 13, 2022. The filing deadline was July 15, 2022.

In the 2022 elections, Democrats maintained a 65-seat majority. Republicans lost one seat, and one seat was won by an independent.

Rhode Island House of Representatives
Party As of November 8, 2022 After November 9, 2022
     Democratic Party 65 65
     Republican Party 10 9
     Independent 0 1
Total 75 75

2020

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2020

Elections for the office of Rhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for September 8, 2020. The filing deadline was June 24, 2020.

In the 2020 elections, the Democratic majority decreased from 66-8 and one independent to 65-10.

Rhode Island House of Representatives
Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
     Democratic Party 66 65
     Republican Party 8 10
     Independent 1 0
Total 75 75

2018

See also: Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2018

Elections for the Rhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2018. A hybrid primary election took place on September 12, 2018, and the general election was held on November 6, 2018.[23] The candidate filing deadline was June 27, 2018.[24]

In the 2018 elections, Democrats increased their majority in the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 64-11 to 66-9.

Rhode Island House of Representatives
Party As of November 6, 2018 After November 7, 2018
     Democratic Party 64 66
     Republican Party 11 9
Total 75 75

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. All 75 seats in the Rhode Island House of Representatives were up for election in 2016.

Heading into the election, Democrats held a 61-12 majority with one Independent member and one vacancy. Democrats gained three seats in the election, giving them a 64-10 majority with one Independent member.

Rhode Island House of Representatives
Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
     Democratic Party 61 64
     Republican Party 12 10
     Independent 1 1
     Vacancy 1 0
Total 75 75

District maps

State Senate


State House


See also

Footnotes

  1. Rhode Island Secretary of State, "Are You Eligible?" accessed May 23, 2025
  2. Rhode Island General Laws, "Title 17 Elections; Chapter 3 General Assembly Members; § 17-3-6. Vacancy in general assembly — Special elections," accessed February 3, 2023
  3. National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
  4. Rhode Island Secretary of State, "Are You Eligible?" accessed May 23, 2025
  5. Rhode Island General Laws, "Title 17 Elections; Chapter 3 General Assembly Members; § 17-3-6. Vacancy in general assembly — Special elections," accessed February 3, 2023
  6. National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 All About Redistricting, "Rhode Island," accessed May 7, 2015
  8. State of Rhode Island General Assembly, "Bill to reapportion House, Senate, congressional districts signed into law," accessed February 18, 2022
  9. State of Rhode Island General Assembly, "2022 House Journals - February 15th," accessed February 18, 2022
  10. State of Rhode Island General Assembly, "House Floor Votes for 2/15/2022," accessed February 18, 2022
  11. State of Rhode Island General Assembly, "Legislative Status Report - Senate Bill No. 2162 SUB A as amended," accessed February 18, 2022
  12. The Providence Journal, "Redistricting maps: General Assembly approves new Rhode Island political boundaries," February 15, 2022
  13. Boston Globe, "Assembly votes for final House, Senate, congressional maps," February 15, 2022
  14. Rhode Island Board of Elections, "Upcoming elections," accessed September 1, 2017
  15. Rhode Island Department of State, "Candidates," accessed September 1, 2017
  16. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island State Senate 2012 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  17. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island State Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  18. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island State Senate 2008 Campaign Contributions"
  19. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island State Senate 2006 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  20. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island State Senate 2004 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  21. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island State Senate 2002 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  22. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island State Senate 2000 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  23. Rhode Island Board of Elections, "Upcoming elections," accessed September 1, 2017
  24. Rhode Island Department of State, "Candidates," accessed September 1, 2017
  25. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island House of Representatives 2012 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  26. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island House of Representatives 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  27. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island House of Representatives 2008 Campaign Contributions"
  28. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island House of Representatives 2006 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  29. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island House of Representatives 2004 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  30. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island House of Representatives 2002 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014
  31. Follow the Money, "Rhode Island House of Representatives 2000 Campaign Contributions," accessed June 6, 2014