In the 2022 midterm, just over 5,200 voters cast ballots in House District 21, and Marie Hopkins lost by only 38 votes. In the 2024 presidential-year election, more than 7,000 voters turned out, and she won by 85 votes. That’s why midterm turnout matters: when more of our voters show up, close races can change.
Voter turnout drops dramatically in Midterms.
In 2024, nearly 66% of registered voters voted.
In the 2022 midterm, just 44% did - a gap of more than 21 percentage points.
If you only vote for president, you’re sitting out the elections that decide who writes the laws closest to home - here in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island’s midterm elections decide the lawmakers who represent in the Legislature at the RI State House.
These Representatives and Senators vote on taxes, spending, energy policy, education, roads and bridges, public safety, housing, the cost of living, and the rights and freedoms affected by state law.
What happens at the State House does not stay in Providence. The legislature passes regulations, mandates, and new requirements that cities and towns are expected to carry out - often without providing enough money to pay for them.
Those unfunded or underfunded mandates can put pressure on local budgets, property taxes, schools, public safety, and municipal services. Midterm elections decide who will speak up when the state tries to shift more costs and control onto your community.
If you care about local taxes, local services, and keeping decisions closer to home, your voice belongs in every election.
When Republicans and conservative-minded voters skip midterm elections, the Democratic supermajority at the State House gets even stronger. That means fewer voices challenging higher spending, new taxes and fees, costly mandates, and policies that are making Rhode Island more expensive.
A healthy government needs debate, scrutiny, and people willing to ask hard questions. More balance at the State House means more accountability over the budget, more resistance to unfunded mandates on cities and towns, and a stronger check on policies that may otherwise move forward with little opposition.
You do not have to agree with Republicans on every issue to believe that no party should have unchecked power.
When our voters stay home, one-party control gets stronger. When we show up, Rhode Island gets a stronger voice for balance and accountability.
Rhode Island will not change direction because people are frustrated. It changes when voters participate. Every Republican, conservative, independent, and taxpayer who wants greater balance at the State House has a reason to show up in the midterms.
Don’t wait until Election Day to figure it out. Make a plan now. Request a mail ballot, vote early at your city or town’s designated location, or make Election Day your plan.
Choose the option that works for you. Put it on your calendar. Follow through.
However you vote, make a plan - and show up.
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