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5/10/2021
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Media Advisory: Legislators to take part in release of elections reform poll results
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STATE HOUSE – Several legislators will participate Wednesday in the release of the results of a statewide poll on potential reforms to Rhode Island elections law.
The Rhode Island Voting Access Coalition, a group of grassroots organizations promoting the “Let RI Vote” campaign, will release the results of the poll commissioned by “Represent Us” at a press conference at Wednesday, May 12, at 2 p.m., at Avenue Concept’s VOTE mural, 1 Ship Street, Providence.
Speakers will include:
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Representative Katherine Kazarian (D-East Providence), sponsor of 2021-H 6003 and 2021-H 5983
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Senator Dawn Euer (D-Newport, Jamestown), sponsor of 2021-S 0516
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Senator Alana DiMario (D-North Kingstown, Narragansett), sponsor of 2021-S 0569
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Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea
The event will be moderated by Marcela Betancur, executive director of Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University.
Despite the COVID pandemic, Rhode Island’s November 2020 elections broke voter turnout records, in large part because temporary changes to vote-by-mail barriers were made and limited in-person early voting was allowed. More than a half-million Rhode Islanders cast ballots in the November election — and more than 60% of them used either vote-by-mail or in-person early voting. Legislation currently before the General Assembly (2021-H 6003, 2021-S 0516) would make those changes permanent and expand access to early voting and mail ballots. Another bill (2021-H 5983, 2021-S 0569) would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to allow same-day voter registration, something that four of the six states in New England currently allow and is a proven reform for expanding voter turnout.
For more information, contact:
Legislative Press Bureau,
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2457
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