Rhode Island Special Elections on March 2nd

In a special election taking place this March 2nd, Rhode Islander’s have an opportunity to invest in important projects that could foster the growth of the State’s taxbase and mitigate its climate change vulnerabilities.

At top-of-mind for The Providence Foundation is Phase 2 of Dredging the Providence River, inlcuded in the Enviornmental Bond on Question 2.

Last year, Phase 1 was successfully completed ahead of schedule, allowing for greater flood storage capacity, improvement of water quality and habitat, and reduction of odor caused by siltation at low tide.

Voting in support of this environmental bond will further these improvements, increasing water depths for boating, recreation and climate resilience.

How to Vote in the Special Election

MAIL IN your ballot by February 23rd

or

Drop off your mail ballot by March 2nd

or

Vote in person now until March 2nd

All Rhode Island voters recently received a mail ballot application which must be returned by February 9th. Voting by mail is the easiest and most convenient way to vote, but voters also have the option to:

• Vote early at their local City or Town Hall from Feb. 10th to March 1st.

• Vote in person on Election Day, March 2nd (a very limited number of in-person polling locations will be open on March 2nd, as few as one per town.)

• Drop off your mail ballot at an official local ballot drop off box.

All About the Bonds

Through analysis of the total $400 million included in all bonds down the ballot, Treasurer Magaziner has determined that RI can and should make these investments across the board, due to recently retired debt from previous bonds and that interest rates are historically low.

Question 2: Beach, Clean Water, and Green Bond

This is a $74 million investment in Rhode Island’s state beaches and parks, outdoor recreation, farmland and forested land, water quality, and community resilience.

Included in the bond is:

• $6 million for additional dredging in the Providence River

• $33 million for state parks, beaches, and campgrounds

• $15 million for drinking water and clean water (upgrades to drinking and wastewater treatment facilities, CSO prevention, stormwater management, etc.)

• $7 million for municipal resilience (matching funds for towns and cities to improve municipal climate resilience)

• $4 million for parks on the former I-195 properties in Providence

• $4 million for local recreation grants (community parks and recreation facilities)

• $3 million for natural and working lands (forest and farmland preservation)

• $2 million grant for the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council

Before dredging the Waterplace Park River basin, sediment from road salt and sand and litter layered the river bed, creating an unpleasant environment for people and animals alike. Now, the river flows freely in this portion of Waterplace Park.

All Bond Questions

For a full description of all bond questions and voting instructions, download the Voter Information Handbook here.