Important dates, consolidated polling locations for 1st Congressional District election

David Cicilline, the longtime representative of Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District, resigned after seven terms to take a job as the executive director of the Rhode Island Foundation. That means communities across the district are holding a special election to choose his replacement, and as summer flies by election day is fast approaching.

Many commentators are projecting low voter turnout for this atypical election schedule, which means RI citizens who do choose to cast a vote will have a disproportionate amount of influence relative to the total eligible voting population when it comes to choosing Rhode Island’s next delegate to the federal House of Representatives. (Seth Magaziner was elected to replace Jim Langevin in RI CD2 last November.)

The Daily News has compiled a list of important deadlines for the Sept. 5 special election primaries, which will see the field of 12 Democratic Party candidates whittled down to one, who will then face off in the General Election scheduled for Nov. 7 against the winner of the Republican primary between Terri Flynn of Middletown and Gerry Leonard Jr. of Jamestown.

It is worth noting that unaffiliated, Republican, Democratic and third-party voters have the ability to affiliate with any party in order to vote in the primary, and then immediately fill out a form to disaffiliate with the party on their way out the door. Voters can also get a disaffiliation form from their local board of canvassers at any time.

There is an early voting period running from Aug. 16 through Primary Day on Sept. 5, during which any registered voter who has not received a mail ballot can come into city hall and cast a ballot during regular business hours.

Many cities and towns have consolidated polling locations for the special election, meaning voters from some precincts will have to vote in a different location than usual. Polling locations for Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth and Tiverton are listed by precinct below.

Important voter registration deadlines for Sept. 5 primary

• Primary voter registration deadline: Sunday, Aug. 6.

• Democratic mail ballot (and Braille/tactile ballot) application deadline: Tuesday, Aug. 15.

Visit vote.sos.ri.gov to register to vote with a paper form, check your voter registration information and/or register to vote online. You can also apply for a mail ballot or Braille/tactile ballot. All mail ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on election day.

Consolidated polling placed for Sept. 5 primary and Nov. 7 general election

All early voting from Aug. 16–Sept. 4 will occur at your local city or town hall during regular business hours.

For the primary election on Sept. 5, polling locations are listed below by precinct. Voters' precinct numbers are listed on the voter registration card sent in the mail, and are also available via vote.sos.ri.gov.

Polls are open from 7 a.m.–8 p.m. on Sept. 5 at the locations listed below.

Newport

2101: Instead of voting at Fenner Hall (aka Vasco Da Gama), vote at Donovan Manor, 19 Chapel St.

2102: Instead of Pell Elementary School, vote at Park Holm Senior Center, 1 Eisenhower St.

2103: Instead of Park Holm Senior Center, vote at Park Holm Senior Center, 1 Eisenhower St.

2104: Instead of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, vote at Donovan Manor, 19 Chapel St.

2105: Instead of St. John’s Church Guild Hall, vote at Park Holm Senior Center, 1 Eisenhower St.

2106: Donovan Manor, 19 Chapel St.

2107: Instead of Thompson Middle School, vote at Donovan Manor, 19 Chapel St.

2108: Newport Public Library, 300 Spring St.

2109: Instead of Rogers High School, vote at Newport Public Library, 300 Spring St.

Middletown

1901, 1902 & 1903: Gaudet School, Turner Road entrance.

1904 & 1905: Middletown High School

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Portsmouth

2701: Hope Brown Center at Farnham Farm, Prudence Island     

2702 & 2703: Instead of Portsmouth High School fieldhouse, vote at Common Fence Point Community Hall, 933 Anthony Road

2704 & 2705: Instead of Portsmouth Town Hall Council Chambers, vote at Portsmouth Friends Church, 11 Middle Road

2706 & 2707: Instead of Portsmouth Middle School, vote at St. Barnabas Church Parish Hall, 1697 East Main Road

Tiverton

3301 & 3302: V. F. W. Hall, 134 Shove St.

3303 & 3305: Countryview Estates, 213 Hurst Lane

3304: Tiverton Town Hall, 343 Highland Road

3306 & 3307: Amicable Church, 3736 Main Road

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: 1st Congressional District election: What to know in Newport County