News Clips

Marion discusses lessons that can be learned from the recent signature matching scandal.

The 2020 calendar puts Rhode Island’s September primary so close to the general election the state might violate a federal deadline to get ballots to troops serving overseas. And, surging demand to vote before Election Day is swamping the state Board of Elections and city halls in cumbersome “emergency mail ballots.”

When a group of Rhode Island’s top officials gathered in a chilly warehouse in Providence in mid-January to fight foreign interference in U.S. elections, the mood was festive.

When a group of Rhode Island’s top officials gathered in a chilly warehouse in Providence in mid-January to fight foreign interference in U.S. elections, the mood was festive.

More than 1,200 ballots had to be remade by hand by a R.I. Board of Elections employee in the most recent general election, according to records reviewed by Target 12. Elections officials said it’s hard to compare the number to previous years because of a recent change in technology, but they noticed it was a larger number of what they call “remakes” than usual.

Rhode Island is making good on its promise to road-test risk-limiting election audits, following 2017 passage of legislation by the Rhode Island General Assembly, requiring them. Beginning with the presidential primary in April 2020, Rhode Island will become the second state to require these audits to verify election results.