About 47 percent of registered voters ages 18 to 29 cast ballots in the U.S. presidential election last year. That’s less than the overall voting participation of 64 percent, but it shows how young people are playing a bigger role in national elections. At the same time, a recent Harvard Youth Poll found that more than 4 in 10 Americans under age 30 say they’re barely getting by financially, and just 15 percent believe the country is headed in the right direction. Fewer than one-third of these young people approve of President Trump or either party in Congress. Here in Rhode Island, organizing by young political activists has waxed and waned over time. So what role can youth groups play in influencing the direction of politics in the state? And what do activists have to say about the dissatisfaction of young people with both major parties? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in depth with chairman of the Rhode Island Young Republicans Ken Naylor and board member of the Young Democrats of Rhode Island Autumn Guillotte.
Politics
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, Politics
Why is Rhode Island the last state in the nation to embrace police reforms to prevent ‘wandering officers’?
More than two decades ago, a high-profile government study recommended that Rhode Island strengthen the power of the commission that oversees most police officers in the state. Today, despite repeated efforts in the state legislature, that commission still lacks the ability to strip police training certifications when officers violate certain rules, leaving Rhode Island as […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, Politics
Rhode Island resists efforts at policing reform embraced by every other state
In October, a Newport County jury found that former Jamestown Police Det. Derek Carlino was negligent in his involvement in the death by suicide of a teenager. But it won’t end Carlino’s career in policing. A report commissioned by the Portsmouth School Department found Carlino had worked with a football coach to pressure fifteen-year-old Nathan […]
Posted inLabor, Local, Politics
Lawson wins R.I. Senate presidency while retaining prominent union role
After Rhode Island Senate Majority Leader Val Lawson won a lopsided vote Tuesday to lead the chamber following the recent death of Dominick Ruggerio, she downplayed potential conflicts stemming from her work as the president of one of the state’s largest teachers’ unions. Lawson (D-East Providence) easily outpaced rival Sen. Ryan W. Pearson (D-Cumberland) on […]
Posted inHealth, Local, Metro Desk, Politics
Amid Anchor Medical closure, Gov. Dan McKee rolls out primary care reforms
The impending closure of Anchor Medical Associates means some 25,000 Rhode Islanders will soon be forced to find new doctors. And the state already has a shortage of primary care doctors. As many as 400,000 Rhode Islanders already have no access to primary care. That’s the problem Gov. Dan McKee hopes to alleviate. “We […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for April 25, 2025
Considering the torrents of news, is it time to measure the first 100 days of a new presidential administration in dog-years? You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** 1. STORY […]
Posted inHousing, Political Roundtable, Politics
RI Housing Secretary Deborah Goddard on what’s next with the new state housing plan
The median price of a home in Rhode Island is now the once unimaginable sum of almost $500,000. State leaders have tried for a few years to address the housing crisis, and tens of millions of dollars have been directed against the problem. But progress has been slow. The housing crisis began a long time ago, so it’s understandable that moving forward takes time. But that offers little solace for people hurt by the high cost and lack of housing they can afford, and the situation restricts efforts to grow Rhode Island’s economy. This week, the state unveiled a new plan for adding 15,000 new housing units over the next five years. But some communities have resisted attempts to add more housing. So does the new state plan have the right stuff, and what will it take to make more progress? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in depth with Rhode Island Housing Secretary Deborah Goddard.
Posted inLocal, Politics
Behind the scenes battle rages for control of R.I. Senate
A frenetic two-way fight for the presidency of the Rhode Island Senate is playing out behind the scenes following the death of state Sen. Dominick Ruggerio at age 76 on Monday. The battle is taking place through ongoing phone calls, as the contenders — Majority Leader Val Lawson (D-East Providence) and Sen. Frank Ciccone (D-Providence), […]
Posted inHousing, Local, Politics
New plan targets 15,000 more housing units in RI by 2030
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee and Housing Secretary Deborah Goddard unveiled Wednesday a plan to build 15,000 new housing units over the next five years through what Goddard called a “carrot” approach. “We’re going to set municipal goals for every community, both production goals and low-mod housing — low- and moderate-income housing goals — and […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local, Politics
Lawmakers seek to ban offshore drilling in New England
On Earth Day, members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation announced a bipartisan effort to ban offshore oil drilling. But the legislation announced Tuesday may be little more than a symbolic gesture. On his first day back in office, President Trump declared a national energy emergency. “We will drill, baby, drill,” Trump said in his second […]
