Early ballots in Rhode Island

As Rhode Island approaches the September 10 primary elections, early voting turnout is notably low, with only 1.1% of eligible voters having cast ballots as of Thursday, totaling 8,774 votes. Providence leads in early voting with 1,030 ballots, while Central Falls has the least with only 32. John Marion from Common Cause Rhode Island attributes the low turnout to many uncompetitive races, as nearly half of the General Assembly races feature unopposed incumbents. In contrast, a Gallup poll indicates a surge in voter enthusiasm among Democrats ahead of the upcoming presidential election, with 69% of respondents expressing heightened eagerness to vote. Meanwhile, in Carbon County, Wyoming, voter turnout for the recent primary was 56.72%, marking the lowest in six years, attributed to a decrease in registered Democrats and new voting regulations. These contrasting voter engagement levels highlight varied political climates across states as elections approach.