I applaud the decision of the Rhode Island State Board of Elections who voted unanimously Friday to move the City of Providence Ward 1 Special Election to June 2, 2020 the same day set for the state-wide Presidential Preference Primary.
Thursday night, the City Council, at the request of the City Solicitor, voted to postpone the Ward 1 special election to May 5th, or the earliest date possible all while keeping with Governor Raimondo’s Emergency Public Health Executive Orders.
The Council did not make this decision lightly. Our goal has always been to fill the vacancy as soon as possible, but in the face of this global pandemic, we cannot ignore the seriousness of our current public safety crisis.
Governor Raimondo has been quite clear in her message, the better we adhere to the advice of the medical community today, the sooner we get back to work.
I wish to thank the Board of Elections for taking a wise and well-measured approach. The Board of Elections rightly expressed in its decision that the Council attempted to strike a balance between representation and risk to public health.
We all share the concerns and understand the frustration that many members of the Ward 1 community expressed, nonetheless we had to make public health the priority.
Jo-Ann Ryan, Majority Leader
Providence City Council
Councilwoman – Ward 5