The 2025 Local Election in Charlestown

When: Monday, January 12 at 7 pm
Where: Charlestown Town Hall
What: Just before the Town Council meeting starts, Bonnie will take the oath of office and will officially join the Town Council

Thank you to each of the 1,465 voters who took the time to vote in this special election, congratulations to Bonnie Van Slyke for winning the election, and congratulations to all three candidates for putting their names forward as candidates! Vote totals in post.

After 8 p.m. on election day, Tuesday, December 2, the RI Board of elections will begin to report election results for Charlestown. You can get to the Charlestown results by clicking on the link in this post.

There’s one candidate who stands out above the rest and deserves our vote, Bonnie Van Slyke. In her own right, Bonnie‘s experience and past service on the Charlestown town council (2014-2022) place her as the best choice.

I write to ask Charlestown’s registered voters to support Bonnie Van Slyke’s bid for the vacant seat on our Town Council. Please vote (now, or on election day), and when you vote – go deep!

The only “special interest” that Bonnie has is to protect Charlestown’s spectacular natural resources and low tax rate, to promote honest and transparent government, to prevent unregulated development and loss of local control, to promote positive educational leadership, and to protect all these assets for future generations.

Virginia Lee: “Independent Charlestown Town Council candidate Bonnie Van Slyke’s previous service on the Town Council proves she has the experience and integrity to represent you well. She is a proven candidate for Charlestown Town Council. She will listen to your concerns and is willing to do the hard work to protect our environment, our economy, and our low tax rate.”

You can return your ballot by mail, but make sure there is time for it to be received by December 2. If you are in Charlestown, you can place your mail ballot in the special ballot box outside Town Hall anytime between now and December 2, 2025.

In the last year, a few developers have proposed packing into their developments many more houses per acre than are allowed under zoning. For instance, on an environmentally sensitive parcel zoned for about 20 houses, over 400 dwelling units were proposed. Recent changes to Rhode Island law make over-development in vulnerable areas in Charlestown almost inevitable.

Keeping the water that flows beneath the ground (groundwater) clean is one of the most important issues facing Charlestown—not only because it is the source of our drinking water, but also because its deterioration will affect the health of our saltwater ponds and inland lakes.