Rhode Island Forms Task Force On Elections During Coronavirus

Payton Potter
·3 min read

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island's Elections Task Force is taking on a one-of-a-kind challenge: ensuring safe, secure and fair elections during the coronavirus pandemic.

The task force, co-chaired by Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea and Board of Elections Chairwoman Diane C. Mederos, will meet for the first time Wednesday.

In a release, Gorbea's office said the meeting will face down unique challenges posed by the pandemic like mail-in ballots, voter education, how many physical polling places are needed and staffing polls with poll workers.

The task force is set to meet at 11 a.m. Wednesday and stream the discussion on the Rhode Island Department of State’s Facebook page.

The public is encouraged to share comments during the meeting. Voters can also submit questions in advance to elections@sos.ri.gov.

In a statement, Gorbea said handling elections during the pandemic requires a willingness to learn and change.

“The June 2 Presidential Primary was unlike any election in our state’s history,” Gorbea said. “In any new process, there are opportunities to learn and evolve. Working together, elections officials, voters and stakeholders will identify what worked and what needs to improve.”

Cranston's Director of Elections, Nick Lima, said collaboration and unity will be the task force's best asset in guaranteeing successful elections in September and November.

"It is imperative that we collaboratively analyze the recently concluded Presidential Primary and determine the best unified path forward to ensure a successful electoral process for voters this fall," Lima said in a statement, in part.

A spokesperson for Gorbea said the task force intends to meet several more times throughout the election cycle, much like a previous iteration of the task force did after three elections in 2016.

In 2017, the task force reviewed the election process before, during and after election day and offered up 17 recommendations to improve elections in the state.

Although the challenges are different this cycle, the 17-member task force is still committed to ensuring Rhode Islanders' right to vote.

“During these unprecedented times we are facing challenges that none of us could have imagined, but our commitment remains the same," elections chairwoman Diane C. Mederos said in a statement. "It has never been more important to work with our Secretary of State and our local election officials to ensure that our elections are conducted so that all Rhode Island voters maintain their essential right to vote in the safest possible way.”

The 2020 Task Force is composed of:

  • Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea – Co-chairwoman

  • Diane C. Mederos, Chairwoman, Board of Elections – Co-chairwoman

  • Jennifer L. Johnson, Board of Elections

  • Dr. Isadore S. Ramos, Board of Elections

  • Louis P. Cirillo, Town Clerk, Town of Bristol

  • Marianne, Kelly, Town Clerk, Town of West Warwick

  • Erin Liese, Town Clerk, Town of Jamestown

  • Nick Lima, Registrar/Director of Elections, City of Cranston

  • Tracy Nelson, Canvassing Clerk, City of Newport

  • Kathy Placencia, Administrator of Elections, City of Providence

  • Jacqueline Schulz, Registrar of Voters, Town of Portsmouth

  • Carol Wordell, Town Clerk, Town of Little Compton

  • Marcela Betancur, Public Member

  • Cristin Langworthy, Public Member

  • David Montenegro, Public Member

  • Sheri L. Sweitzer, Public Member

  • Nicole Tingle, Public Member

This article originally appeared on the Providence Patch