A campaign sign in Newport urges voters to vote no on Ballot Question 1, which asks if Rhode Island should hold a constitutional convention. (Janine L. Weisman/Rhode Island Current)
For the fourth straight decade, Rhode Island voters have rejected a ballot measure asking if the state should hold a constitutional convention.
As of 9:36 p.m., with 96% of the state’s polling places reporting, unofficial preliminary results from the state’s Board of Elections showed Rhode Islanders voted against Question 1 on the statewide ballot 62.8% to 37.2% . There were over 240,000 no votes and just over 142,000 yes votes.
The last time the question was on the ballot in 2014, the vote was 55.1% opposed, while 44.9% supported holding a constitutional convention.
A coalition of 37 labor and civil liberties organizations — called Rhode Island Citizens for Responsible Government — formed over the summer to oppose the convention. Members of the coalition include the ACLU of Rhode Island, which argued that a constitutional convention opened up a path for special interest groups to try to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, abortion rights, and the rights of immigrants.