2026 Election News and Blog Posts

CCA supports the three School Committee candidates highlighted in blue on the sample ballot. These three candidates are also profiled at the Chariho United website, and in the League of Women Voters election guide. Ensuring that our town’s children get an excellent education at a reasonable cost requires the highest qualified candidates to represent Charlestown on the Chariho School Committee. CCA recruits and supports the most experienced educators for School Committee.

On the November 3 election ballot is Question 6, a $116 Million bond referendum to build a Unified Elementary School Campus at the site of the current Charlestown Elementary School, at the corner of Rt. 112 and Shannock Road in Charlestown. In this post is the question as it will appear on the election ballot, a breakdown of costs and tax impacts, and a link to learn more.

Wednesday, October 14 is the first day of Early Voting at Town Hall. Early voting will take place at Town Hall, anytime between 8:30 am to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, from October 14 to November 2. The state prints different ballots for each precinct in Charlestown. Sample ballots for each precinct in this post.

When you fill in your mail ballot from now until November 3 or enter the voting booth from October 14 to November 3, please vote for the candidates in this post, highlighted in blue. From the shore of the Block Island Sound to the villages along the Pawcatuck River they will protect our quality of life, our low tax rate, and our beautiful environment.

Please Reject Charter Question 7
Please Consider Approval of Charter Questions 8, 9, and 10
Read the post for full explanations of all the Charter Questions.

Despite the apparent opposition to expanded land conservation in Charlestown from one or more of the current Town Council members, passage of “State Question 5” would provide the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) with funds to do their own land acquisition through the State Land Acquisition Program. As DEM says in promoting the bond, “protecting open space preserves our natural environment, expands recreational opportunities, and is key to building a vibrant economy and quality of place.”

Coleen is a small business owner, professional comedian, motivational speaker and former special education teacher who is committed to preserving Charlestown’s natural resources, history and character. She believes that it is possible to focus on preservation and work with all parties to find solutions that will best serve our community as a whole as we grow. Coleen contends that even though she has traveled all over the world, Charlestown is truly the most wonderful place she has ever been.

Bonnie serves on the Town Council, having been elected five times. She served previously as treasurer and a director of the Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center for 7 years and has a BA in Economics. She has devoted years working to protect the environment and our precious natural resources and believes growth must be carefully planned, sustainable, and consistent with our rural character and heritage, and for that to happen, the State needs to return control of land-use decisions to the town and recognize the value of our irreplaceable resources.

The deadline to apply for a mail ballot for the November 3 general election is October 13. If you think an out-of-town trip, bad weather, or any other reason may stop you from voting in the 2026 general election, consider ordering a mail ballot. Or if you simply enjoy the convenience of voting by mail, the reason “I choose to vote by mail” is an allowed reason to request a mail ballot.

Gordon is a retired pharmaceutical executive who believes strongly in local control of planning and zoning, and believes the town should do all it can to educate the legislature and governor about the importance of protecting Charlestown’s irreplaceable natural resources. Gordon’s impressive history of leadership, his education in science, his experience as a member of a zoning board, and his commitment to Charlestown’s natural resources will make him an excellent member of the Charlestown Planning Commission.

David has a BS in Business Administration and has been a founder and executive officer of national supply chain management corporations. He was elected Town Moderator in 2024 where he has facilitated respectful, thoughtful dialogue at each meeting he has chaired. His background, character, education and experience have made him an excellent Town Moderator. The Budget Public Hearings need David’s ability to chair complex meetings, his skills to assure the debate is open, and his broad knowledge of the major underlying issues.

Charlestown Town Council Candidate Forum
When: Tuesday, October 6, from 6 pm  to 7:30 pm (doors open at 5:30 pm)
Where: Cross Mills Public Library, 4417 Old Post Rd., Charlestown

Chariho School Committee Event
When: Saturday, October 3, 2 pm to 4 pm
Where: Chariho High School Cafeteria, 453 Switch Road, Wood River Junction, RI

Ruth currently serves on the Planning Commission, has a BS degree in Biology, and a long career in science and technology. Her work in land conservation led to the preservation of most of the public open space properties in our town. She is an invaluable leader in the effort to stop the federal plan to bisect northern Charlestown with new rail lines, in the fight for local control of land-use decisions, and in the protection of our groundwater. We need Ruth’s knowledge and experience on the Planning Commission to continue to protect our environment, our economy, and our quality of life.

Cynthia is a journalist who for more than a decade covered Charlestown, Richmond, Hopkinton, the Chariho Regional School District, and local science and environment issues. She has a Master of Marine Affairs degree from URI with advanced studies in ocean science and policy, ocean law, and resource economics, providing her with a deep understanding of the issues our town faces. Cynthia will apply her professional and academic experience to environmental conservation, protecting Charlestown’s coastline, and protecting our town from over development.

View the local and statewide Primary election results. There was only one local contest on the Primary ballot, and that was the local Democratic Party primary for Representative in General Assembly District 36. District 36 includes all of Charlestown and New Shoreham, and parts of South Kingstown and Westerly. Tina Spears won that primary by a wide margin in Charlestown and district wide. She will be unopposed in the November election.

After 8 p.m. on election day, Wednesday, September 9, 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.

The local candidates profiled in this post are individuals with the skills and dedication to act in the best interests of all the citizens of our town. They will do the hard work to protect our environment, safeguard our rural character, and keep our tax rate as one of the lowest in Rhode Island.

Three Ways To Vote (choose one of these)
• Vote by mail
• Vote early until September 8
• Vote on Wednesday, September 9
There is only one local contest on the Primary ballot, and that is the local Democratic Party primary for Representative in General Assembly District 36
Links to District 36 candidates’ websites in this post.

The local candidates profiled in this post are individuals with the skills and dedication to act in the best interests of all the citizens of our town. They will do the hard work to protect our environment, safeguard our rural character, and keep our tax rate as one of the lowest in Rhode Island.

Charlestown voters passed the referendum to allow the use of land in Charlestown for a new, unified elementary school for all students in Pre-K through Grade 5 from Hopkinton, Richmond, and Charlestown on the site of the current elementary school at 363 Carolina Back Road (Rt. 112).

If you think an out of town trip, or any other reason may stop you from voting in the September 9 Rhode Island Primary, consider ordering a mail ballot for that primary election. Plus, information on the Representative in General Assembly District 36 Democratic Primary in Charlestown.

When: Tuesday, August 4, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall, 4540 South County Trail
Who: Anyone registered to vote in the town of Charlestown
What: Charlestown referendum on whether to allow the use of land in Charlestown for a new, unified elementary school for all students in Pre-K through Grade 5 from Hopkinton, Richmond, and Charlestown on the site of the current elementary school at 363 Carolina Back Road (Rt. 112)

The August 4 referendum is about the school site, not the school bond, and is only for Charlestown voters.

The August 4 referendum is just for Charlestown voters to give permission for the Chariho Regional School District to demolish the Charlestown Elementary School and build a new facility for use by the pre-k to fifth-grade students from all three towns if the November referendum to fund the new school bond passes district-wide. Video of the hearing, with highlights of the video content, in this post.

Thank you to everyone who gave up a part of a summer day to visit us at the Charlestown Mini Super and sign 7 different nomination papers for the Independent candidates the Charlestown Citizens Alliance is supporting in the November election. Thank you especially to the Mini Super for generously allowing us to set up our nomination papers in front of the store!

Please join us on Wednesday, July 8 anytime from 1 pm to 3 pm, at the Charlestown Mini Super and help CCA endorsed candidates get on the November ballot.

Where: Charlestown Mini Super, 4071 Old Post Rd. (map in post)
When: Wednesday, July 8 from 1 pm to 3 pm

What: If you are registered to vote in Charlestown, all we need is your signature on the candidates’ nomination papers. These candidates will be volunteering their time for the next two years or longer, please take a few minutes of your own time to help them get started.

When: Tuesday, July 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Elementary School, 363 Carolina Back Rd, Charlestown
What: To discuss the proposed ballot question in advance of the August 4 Special Referendum

The August 4 referendum is only about agreements and leases with Chariho. Approval of the August referendum is not an approval of the bond for school construction, that vote will take place in November.

Please join us on Sunday, July 5 anytime from 1 pm to 3 pm, at the Charlestown Mini Super and help CCA endorsed candidates get on the November ballot.

Where: Charlestown Mini Super, 4071 Old Post Rd. (map in post)
When: Sunday, July 5 from 1 pm to 3 pm

UPDATE: Monday and Tuesday are now forecast to have rain. We were planning to collect signatures all three days, but we are likely to get rained out those two days. Please come on Sunday if you can. We will stay late if necessary.

What: If you are registered to vote in Charlestown, all we need is your signature on the candidates’ nomination papers. These candidates will be volunteering their time for the next two years or longer, please take a few minutes of your own time to help them get started.

Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) is pleased to announce the names of the outstanding candidates we will support in the 2026 election. The steering committee reviewed all the declared local candidates and found these talented individuals embody CCA’s guiding principles of protection of our natural environment, civility, inclusiveness, consensus, and fiscal responsibility. They are individuals with the skills and dedication to act in the best interests of all the citizens of the town.