Breaking Down the Ballot: Should Rhode Island Hold a Constitutional Convention?

The last convention in the state was held in 1986

Early voting for the Rhode Island state primary begins on Aug. 21.
rawpixel.com / Felix
Share
Early voting for the Rhode Island state primary begins on Aug. 21.
rawpixel.com / Felix
Breaking Down the Ballot: Should Rhode Island Hold a Constitutional Convention?
Copy

On Nov. 5, Rhode Island voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on five statewide ballot questions. In the weeks leading up to Election Day, The Public’s Radio will cover each question in depth.

This time, the focus is on Question One: “Shall there be a convention to amend or revise the Rhode Island Constitution?”

The last convention to amend the state constitution occurred in 1986. Proponents from different ends of the political spectrum say voters should be given the opportunity to amend the constitution — but a coalition led by ACLU Rhode Island, unions and women’s advocacy groups fears a convention could threaten civil rights protections.

Giving their perspective on the issue are John Marion, executive director of the nonprofit government watchdog organization Common Cause Rhode Island; and Patrick Anderson, a reporter for The Providence Journal.

This interview was conducted by The Public’s Radio. You can read the story here.

Without stoves or modern tools, participants learned to prep a full 18th-century meal over an open flame in a historic Rhode Island home
In Los Angeles, a new crop of curbside libraries are helping communities recover after last year’s wildfires. But instead of books, these libraries are full of seeds
The fires will return from May through November, featuring a milestone 500th lighting and themed nights
Janet Coit, the former director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and a Biden administration official, is set to begin her new job in April
Thousands of protesters gathered in Providence, part of a nationwide day of protests
The paradox of mass shootings in an era of less crime