Jill Davidson won the Democratic primary on Tuesday for the Providence City Council seat in Ward 2.
Davidson, director of development and communications for the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, was generally viewed as being on the progressive end of the spectrum of four candidates. She defeated David Caldwell, president of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island; lawyer Jeff Levy; and Democratic pollster Matt McDermott.
During the campaign, Davidson said she supports rent stabilization and that Providence should “prioritize safety and access for travel by foot or bicycle.”
The special election for the seat on Providence’s East Side was triggered when Helen Anthony stepped down Sept. 1 due to health issues. Anthony represented Ward 2, which includes parts of the Blackstone, College Hill and Wayland neighborhoods, since 2019.
More than 2,300 voters cast ballots in the special election. Davidson won with 49.1% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Rhode Island Board of Elections.
Davidson will face Republican Axel Brito, a Brown University student, in the Dec. 2 general election. The winner will serve out the remainder of Anthony’s term and will have the option next year to run for a full term.
