By Janine L. Weisman | Editor-in-Chief
Good Tuesday morning!
Since 1980, Rhode Island voters have considered 17 bond questions that would have benefited standalone museums, cultural facilities or broader preservation projects. The record for how many passed and how many were rejected: 9-8.
That history may come as a surprise given how generous the state’s voters tend to be with bond issues. Reporter Alexander Castro takes a closer look at Question 4 today.
* * *
High tide in Wickford is at 4:18 p.m. Low tide is at 9:10 a.m. and 9:50 p.m. Sunrise is at 7:03 a.m. Sunset is at 5:57 p.m.
* * *
The Rhode Island Ethics Commission meets at 9 a.m.
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation meets at 1:15 p.m.
The Quonset Development Corporation Board of Directors meets at 5 p.m.
Helena Buonanno Foulkes joins a selfie with a supporter at the opening of her campaign office on Broad Street in Providence in July. (Courtesy of Foulkes campaign)
By Nancy Lavin
After losing in 2022 to Gov. Dan McKee, Helena Buonanno Foulkes began a comeback campaign focused on community relationships, including in Central Falls. Having defeated McKee in the 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Foulkes leads in polls and campaign fundraising heading into the Nov. 3 election.
Rhode Island Gov Dan McKee has decided to keep a pause on the installation of new Flock Safety license plate readers in place. Questions surrounding oversight of the technology have led to backlash in communities across 49 states. (Photo courtesy of Flock Safety)
By Christopher Shea
Rhode Island’s pause on new automated license plate reader installations, originally set to end Monday, has been extended indefinitely after Gov. Dan McKee announced he would leave it to the General Assembly to establish binding statewide safeguards for the surveillance technology.
An architectural rendering depicts the proposed Rhode Island State History Center, which would be built across from the State House in Providence if voters approve Question 4 on Nov. 3. The ballot measure would authorize $45 million in borrowing for the project. (Rendering by LLB Architects/courtesy of the Rhode Island Department of State)
By Alexander Castro
Ballot Question 4 asks Rhode Island voters to decide if they want to authorize $50 million in general obligation bonds, of which up to $45 million would go toward the construction of a new Rhode Island State History Center in Providence. But borrowing for history and museums has not always been embraced by Rhode Island voters, who are otherwise known for being generous at the ballot box.
The U.S. Capitol on the evening of Sept. 30, 2025. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)
By Jacob Fischler, D.C. Bureau
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter predicts Democrats will gain a net of 10 to 20 House seats in the Nov. 3 elections, Erin Covey, the top House analyst at CPR, said Monday during a panel discussion hosted by the Brookings Institution.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner, left, and Republican challenger Vic Mellor exchange remarks during their first general election debate at WPRI 12’s East Providence studios on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (Photo by Aaron Aguilar/WPRI 12)
By Alexander Castro
A new poll released Tuesday by Salve Regina University’s Pell Center shows incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner holding a 13-point lead over Republican challenger Victor Mellor in the race for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District seat. Among independent voters surveyed, the poll showed 44% supported Magaziner and 39% supported Mellor.
ICYMI
Data centers are now the largest financial bet in US history | Tim Henderson, Stateline
Thanks for reading Swell. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.