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March 4, 2008

Clinton, McCain take R.I. in record-shattering primary

In a record-breaking contest, Hillary Clinton easily beat back Barack Obama today to win Rhode Island's fiercely fought Democratic presidential primary, while a win here by Republican John McCain helped him clinch his party's nomination.

Clinton's triumph also signaled that Obama's national momentum and get-out-the-vote youth brigade here could not trump the power of the Clintons, who have been frequent visitors to the Ocean State.

With 87 percent of the precincts reporting at 11 p.m., Clinton led Obama by 90,358, or about 60 percent, votes to 61,583, or 40 percent, according to unofficial state Board of Elections results. That's 87 percent -- or 156 out of the 179 precincts -- tallied.

In the Republican primary, where turnout was much smaller, Arizona Sen. John McCain still decimated Mike Huckabee, 15,223 to 5,064, also with 87 percent of precincts reporting, according to unofficial Board of Elections results.

While some results from the state's 179 polling places were straggling in, it was clear that the votes cast today have broken the state record for turnout in a primary of any kind -- not just presidential.

It eclipsed not only the previous record holder for presidential primaries in 2000, but the highest overall: the 167,000 or so voters who turned out in 1990 in the gubernatorial battle among Bruce Sundlun, Francis Flaherty and Joseph Paolino.

About 5,000 mail-in votes also remain to be added to the totals as of about 11:30 p.m.

The state's 179 polling places closed at 9 p.m. Lines and steady streams of voters appeared to be common around the state, according to Journal reports.

Some 43,000-plus new voters registered this year ahead of the contest -- nearly as many as all of the voters who cast ballots in the 2004 primary. About 20,000 of those are between ages 18 and 29. And mail ballot requests rose 230 percent this year.

Previous record for recent presidential primaries was in 2000, when 82,964 Democrats voted and 46,844 Republicans voted. Already, with some precincts left to go, the Democrats' numbers have beaten that.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from projo.com and Journal staff writers

Rhode Island's 21 elected delegates are small fry compared to what the candidates have been fighting over in Texas and Ohio, but the race has remained so close between Clinton and Obama that suddenly Rhode Island mattered this time.

Obama won Vermont tonight while Clinton won Ohio. The two are locked in an apparently hair-breadth-close battle in Texas, where a caucus follows the primary to sort out that state's large trove of delegates.

In Rhode Island, polls leading up to today consistently put Clinton head, but with Obama narrowing the gap.

Through the years, the Clintons have been well-liked in a state they visited often. Even with delegate-rich contests in Texas and Ohio stealing candidates' attention in the final days, the Clintons' daughter, Chelsea, spent much of today in Rhode Island, following a visit last Friday.

Both her mother and former President Bill Clinton also made separate stops in the Ocean State, as did Barack and Michelle Obama, whose brother-in-law is men's basketball coach at Brown University.

Although Democrats outnumber Republicans more than 3 to 1, unaffiliated voters best them combined. Unaffiliated voters were able to vote in either party's primary today.

In the four years since the last presidential primary, cities and towns have closed more than 80 polling places to save money. Secretary of State Ralph Mollis's office set up a phone line for those uncertain of their new polling place.

No major technical problems were reported, but combined high turnout and some new polling places -- given the consolidation to fewer polling spots -- contributed to a few other problems. A remnant of the state's last hot primary election -- between Republicans Lincoln Chafee and then-Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey for Chafee's Senate seat in 2006 -- also appears to be popping up.

Quite a few voters switched to voting Republican in that primary. While they could disaffiliate after the vote, some reports from the polls and calls to The Providence Journal indicated that voters either failed to do so or that some polls do not have a record of their disaffiliation.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:35 PM | Comment

Clinton, McCain take R.I., with 87% of polls in

Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain were beating their closest opponents in the Rhode Island presidential primaries tonight by roughly the same margin -- almost 2 to 1.

Democrat Clinton had 90,358 votes compared to Barack Obama's 61,583, with 87 percent -- or 156 of 179 -- of polling places reporting, according to unofficial state Board of Elections results.

Republican McCain, the Arizona senator, was steam-rolling over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 15,223 to 5,064, also with 156 precincts reporting, the unofficial results show. The win helped him secure the GOP nomination, according to the Associated Press.

Polls leading up to today had consistently put Clinton, the New York senator, ahead, but with Obama, the Illinois senator, narrowing the gap in the hotly contested race. But most pundits had expected the race to be much closer, given Obama's recent string of primary victories.

What may become the most historic number of all in Rhode Island is the total number of ballots cast today, as state and local officials signaled an unprecedented turnout for a presidential primary.

The state's 179 polling places closed at 9 p.m. Lines and steady streams of voters appeared to be common around the state, according to Journal reports.

Few technical glitches were reported, though some voters complained of confusion over whether they had disaffiliated or not from previous elections.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports Pam Cotter of projo.com and Journal staff

Posted by Mike McKinney at 10:58 PM | Comment

Clinton, McCain far outpacing Obama, Huckabee

Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain were beating their closest opponents in the Rhode Island presidential primaries tonight by roughly the same margin -- almost 2 to 1.

Democrat Clinton had 75,761 votes compared to Barack Obama's 51,258, with 73 percent -- or 131 of 179 -- of polling places reporting, according to unofficial state Board of Elections results.

Republican McCain, the Arizona senator, was steam-rolling over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 14,153 to 4,744, also with about 144 precincts reporting, the unofficial results show. The win helped him secure the GOP nomination, according to the Associated Press.

Polls leading up to today had consistently put Clinton, the New York senator, ahead, but with Obama, the Illinois senator, narrowing the gap in the hotly contested race. But most pundits had expected the race to be much closer, given Obama's recent string of primary victories.

What may become the most historic number of all in Rhode Island is the total number of ballots cast today, as state and local officials signaled an unprecedented turnout for a presidential primary.

The state's 179 polling places closed at 9 p.m. Lines and steady streams of voters appeared to be common around the state, according to Journal reports.

Few technical glitches were reported, though some voters complained of confusion over whether they had disaffiliated or not from previous elections.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports Pam Cotter of projo.com com and Journal staff

Also a problem: Some voters didn't know where to go to vote. Polling places have been closed since the last election to save money, and there are routinely fewer polls for primary elections. Both may have also contributed to longer lines.

The record turnout for the state's presidential primaries held since 1988 was in 2000, when 82,964 Democrats voted and 46,844 Republicans voted.

Registered Democrats now outnumber Republicans more than three to one, but there are more unaffiliated voters than those parties combined. Unaffiliated voters were allowed to vote in either party's primary.

This evening, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis’ office reported a record number of people voted in Greater Providence.

“We’ve been visiting the polling places in Greater Providence -- Warwick, East Providence, Cranston -- and poll workers are saying this is the heaviest turnout they’ve ever seen,” Mollis spokesman Chris Barnett said in the evening.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 10:36 PM | Comment

Clinton, McCain winning by similar margins

Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain were beating their closest opponents in the Rhode Island presidential primaries tonight by roughly the same margin -- almost 2 to 1.

With 93 of the state's 179 polls reporting, Clinton was winning the Democratic primary by 50,836 over Obama's 39,127.

In the much smaller Republican vote, McCain was defeating Mike Huckabee, 7,606 to 2,721, while next closest candidate Ron Paul had 793 votes.

Votes from some towns, such as Barrington, had yet to be recorded by the state Board of Elections. Officials there had no knowledge of problems in those towns, saying they simply hadn't sent in their votes yet.

Get the latest calculations from the state Board of Elections Web site.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:30 PM | Comment

Clinton, McCain leaving Obama, Huckabee behind in R.I.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is beating back Barack Obama in today's Rhode Island Democratic presidential primary, 49,007 to 30,566, with about 50 percent -- or 88 of 179 -- of polling places reporting, according to unofficial state Board of Elections results.

Republican John McCain, the Arizona senator, was steam-rolling over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 7,534 to 2,677, also with about 88 precincts reporting, the unofficial results show.

As of 10:05 p.m., results have not yet been entered for some towns in Rhode Island.

Polls leading up to today had consistently put Clinton, the New York senator, ahead, but with Obama, the Illinois senator, narrowing the gap in the hotly contested race. But most pundits had expected the race to be much closer, given Obama's recent string of primary victories.

What may become the most historic number of all in Rhode Island is the total number of ballots cast today, as state and local officials signaled an unprecedented turnout for a presidential primary.

The state's 179 polling places closed at 9 p.m. Lines and steady streams of voters appeared to be common around the state, according to Journal reports.

Few technical glitches were reported, though some voters complained of confusion over whether they had disaffiliated or not from previous elections.

Also a problem: Some voters didn't know where to go to vote. Polling places have been closed since the last election to save money, and there are routinely fewer polls for primary elections. Both may have also contributed to longer lines.

The record turnout for the state's presidential primaries held since 1988 was in 2000, when 82,964 Democrats voted and 46,844 Republicans voted.

Registered Democrats now outnumber Republicans more than three to one, but there are more unaffiliated voters than those parties combined. Unaffiliated voters were allowed to vote in either party's primary.

This evening, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis’ office reported a record number of people voted in Greater Providence.

“We’ve been visiting the polling places in Greater Providence -- Warwick, East Providence, Cranston -- and poll workers are saying this is the heaviest turnout they’ve ever seen,” Mollis spokesman Chris Barnett said in the evening.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports Pam Cotter of projo.com com and Journal staff

Posted by Mike McKinney at 10:10 PM | Comment

Clinton, McCain cruising to wins in Rhode Island

Hillary Rodham Clinton is beating back Barack Obama in today's Rhode Island Democratic presidential primary, 37,996 to 23,527, with 68 of 179 of polling places reporting, according to unofficial state Board of Elections results.

Republican John McCain, the Arizona senator, was steam-rolling over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 6349 to 2169, with 69 precincts reporting, the unofficial results show.

Polls leading up to today had consistently put Clinton, the New York senator, ahead, but with Obama, the Illinois senator, narrowing the gap in the hotly contested race. But most pundits had expected the race to be much closer, given Obama's recent string of primary victories.

What may become the most historic number of all in Rhode Island is the total number of ballots cast today, as state and local officials signaled an unprecedented turnout for a presidential primary.

The state's 179 polling places closed at 9 p.m. Lines and steady streams of voters appeared to be common around the state, according to Journal reports.

Few technical glitches were reported, though some voters complained of confusion over whether they had disaffiliated or not from previous elections.

Also a problem: Some voters didn't know where to go to vote. Polling places have been closed since the last election to save money, and there are routinely fewer polls for primary elections. Both may have also contributed to longer lines.

The record turnout for the state's presidential primaries held since 1988 was in 2000, when 82,964 Democrats voted and 46,844 Republicans voted.

Registered Democrats now outnumber Republicans more than three to one, but there are more unaffiliated voters than those parties combined. Unaffiliated voters were allowed to vote in either party's primary.

This evening, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis’ office reported a record number of people voted in Greater Providence.

“We’ve been visiting the polling places in Greater Providence -- Warwick, East Providence, Cranston -- and poll workers are saying this is the heaviest turnout they’ve ever seen,” Mollis spokesman Chris Barnett said in the evening.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports Pam Cotter of projo.com com and Journal staff

Posted by Mike McKinney at 9:57 PM | Comment

Clinton, McCain looking like winners in R.I.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is beating Barack Obama in today's Rhode Island Democratic presidential primary, 30,075 to 18,443, with 54 of 179 of polling places reporting, according to unofficial state Board of Elections results.

Republican John McCain, the Arizona senator, was easily beating former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 4626 to 1664, with 50 precincts reporting, the unofficial results show.

Results are now being posted on the state Board of Elections Web site.

Polls leading up to today had consistently put Clinton, the New York senator, ahead, but with Obama, the Illinois senator, narrowing the gap in the hotly contested race.

But what may become the most historic number of all in Rhode Island is the total number of ballots cast today, as state and local officials signaled an unprecedented turnout for a presidential primary.

The state's 179 polling places closed at 9 p.m. Lines and steady streams of voters appeared to be common around the state, according to Journal reports.

Few technical glitches were reported, though some voters complained of confusion over whether they had disaffiliated or not from previous elections.

Also a problem: Some voters didn't know where to go to vote. Polling places have been closed since the last election to save money, and there are routinely fewer polls for primary elections. Both may have also contributed to longer lines.

The record turnout for the state's presidential primaries held since 1988 was in 2000, when 82,964 Democrats voted and 46,844 Republicans voted.

Registered Democrats now outnumber Republicans more than three to one, but there are more unaffiliated voters than those parties combined. Unaffiliated voters were allowed to vote in either party's primary.

This evening, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis’ office reported a record number of people voted in Greater Providence.

“We’ve been visiting the polling places in Greater Providence -- Warwick, East Providence, Cranston -- and poll workers are saying this is the heaviest turnout they’ve ever seen,” Mollis spokesman Chris Barnett said in the evening.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports Pam Cotter of projo.com com and Journal staff

Calls to a polling-place information hotline were constant, Barnett said. “We can handle six calls at a time, and we’ve received nearly 3,000 calls since this morning,” almost without a break, he said earlier. “The two most common questions are, where do I vote? And am I registered?”

Some 43,000-plus new voters registered this year ahead of the contest -- nearly as many as all of the voters who cast ballots in the 2004 presidential primary. About 20,000 of those are between ages 18 and 29. And mail ballot requests shot up 230 percent this year.

Twice as many ballots as normal were printed for today. More poll workers and additional voting booths were dispatched to precincts to try to stave off long waits.

In the four years since the last presidential primary, cities and towns have closed more than 80 polling places to save money. Secretary of State Ralph Mollis's office set up a phone line for those uncertain of their new polling place.

No major technical problems were reported with voting equipment during the day. But what may have been a remnant of the state's last hot primary election -- between Republicans Lincoln Chafee and then-Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey for Chafee's Senate seat in 2006 -- appeared to cause some issues.

Quite a few voters switched to voting Republican in that primary, and some reports from the polls and calls to The Providence Journal today indicated that voters either failed to disaffiliate since then or that some polls did not have a record of their disaffiliation.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 9:49 PM | Comment

R.I.: Clinton leading Obama, McCain beating Huckabee

Hillary Rodham Clinton has taken an early lead over Barack Obama in today's Rhode Island Democratic presidential primary, 2,371 to 1,268, with 7 of 179 of polling places reporting, according to unofficial state Board of Elections results.

Republican John McCain, the Arizona senator, was easily beating former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 154 to 70, with 5 precincts reporting, the unofficial results show.

Results are now being posted on screen at the state Board of Elections office.

-- With reports from projo.com Pam Cotter

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 9:33 PM | Comment

Elections chief: Primary turnout may rival 2006 election's

Robert Kando, who heads up the state Board of Elections, said today's primary turnout may be comparable to the turnout in a general election.

Kando said the last hotly-contested general election was in November 2006 for governor and Senate races.

Some 206,000 votes were cast in 2006, Kando said, and he thinks it may be around that number in the primary.

"Delighted with the turnout today," said Kando.

The number of mail-in ballots also soared for this primary.

Kando said that the board had received about 5,000, which it was starting to count just after 9 p.m. That's compared to 1,400 in the last presidential primary.

The mail-in ballot results will be reflected as a lump tally on the Board of Elections Web site, and not included in individual precinct results, he said.

Kando also said he expected polls to close on schedule at 9 p.m., though there may be a few stragglers who were left to vote inside at that time.

Unofficial results from the Board of Elections were expected to show up on its site around 9:15 p.m. and to be updated every 15 minutes. Those results are also available on projo.com.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Pam Cotter of projo.com

Posted by Mike McKinney at 9:18 PM | Comment

Primary: Clinton, Obama camps work phones up to end

Never say die.

A half-hour before polls were due to close in Rhode Island at 9 p.m., the campaigns for Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama were still working the phones to try to turn out votes.

Campaign workers in the hotly-contested race were also still out and about urging voters to cast their ballots.

-- With reports from Journal staff writers Scott MacKay and Paul Edward Parker

Posted by Mike McKinney at 8:57 PM | Comment

Primary: What the voters were thinking

Highlights of preliminary results from exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks in today's presidential primaries in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont reveal some of the issues on voters' minds.

FRETTING ABOUT THE ECONOMY

The economy was big in Ohio Democratic voters' minds - six in 10 said it's the most important issue facing the country, more than said so in any of the other 25 Democratic primaries with exit polls this year. More than half of Rhode Island Democrats and nearly as many in Texas picked the economy as the top issue out of three choices. In Vermont, almost as many voters picked Iraq as selected the economy - the first Democratic contest this year in which Iraq was considered about as important as the economy.

HAIL TO THE CHIEF

One in seven Obama voters viewed Clinton as more qualified to be commander in chief; fewer than one in 20 Clinton voters said that about Obama.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

Four in 10 Clinton voters in Ohio and Texas said Obama inspires them about the future of the country. Somewhat fewer Clinton voters in Rhode Island but two-thirds in Vermont gave Obama kudos for being inspirational. Obama voters were much less likely to call Clinton inspirational - about a quarter of them said that across the four states.

More highlights from the exit polls ...

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 8:33 PM | Comment

Primary: McCain takes Ohio, AP exit polls report

Arizona Sen. John McCain first added Vermont, then Ohio to his column in the Republican race in those primaries held today, according to the Associated Press.

He's moved within about 130 of the delegate total needed to clinch the nomination. Aides readied a giant banner bearing the magic number - 1,191 - to serve as a backdrop for an anticipated victory celebration in Dallas.

Hillary Rodham Clinton was winning robust support in Ohio's Democratic presidential contest from groups that have been the foundation of her candidacy, taking strong margins among white, blue collar and older voters.

Early results from exit polls of the state's Democratic voters showed that Barack Obama was not doing as well as he had in recent contests in eroding her support from those groups.

Polls closed at 7:30 p.m. in Ohio, 7 p.m. in Vermont. They close at 9 p.m. in Rhode Island and 8 p.m., or 9 p.m. ET, in Texas

The Associated Press made its calls based on surveys of voters as they left the polls.

Get the latest on the national front from the Associated Press ...

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:47 PM | Comment

Primary: Obama, McCain win in Vermont

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Barack Obama easily defeated Hillary Clinton to win the Vermont Democratic primary today, tapping into a desire for change among war-weary voters.

The Associated Press reports that exit polls found that Obama cut into every part of Clinton's traditional base of supporters, including women, older voters and the working-class.

On the Republican side, John McCain easily defeated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

While the presidential primary polls close at 9 p.m. in Rhode Island, Vermont's polls closed at 7 p.m., Texas's close at 8 p.m. central time -- 9 p.m. our time -- and Ohio's close at 7:30 p.m.

In Texas' case, it doesn't end with the closing of polls. In what's been billed the "Texas Two-Step," there is a caucus system held after the voting at polling places. National media have opined today on what that will all mean in the final delegate shake-out for the Democratic candidates.

Exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks found that Obama won about three of five women in Vermont. He did about as well among voters 65 and older and won two-thirds of voters who earned $50,000 a year or less.

The war in Iraq proved to be a key issue in Vermont. Three-fourths of voters who thought the Iraq war was the most important issue facing the country voted for Obama.

Clinton gained momentum in the campaign's last moments, taking about half of voters who made up their mind in the last three days. But four of five voters made up their minds earlier, and they overwhelmingly supported Obama.

For the first time in recent memory, the state's primary - held the same day as primaries in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island - was expected to play a role in the selection of the Democratic candidate.

"Vermont used to be a beauty pageant," said Obama voter John Sherman, 46, of Hartford. "It used to be decided by the time it got here but now, tiny little Vermont has a say in the outcome."

Thousands of new voter registrations were received just before last week's deadline and Secretary of State Deb Markowitz said she hoped turnout would exceed the state's all-time primary record of 39 percent, set in 1980.

Vermont has about 400,000 registered voters.

"I'm hoping that we beat the 39 percent number, it'd be great if we got up to 50 percent," Markowitz.

The Iraq war loomed large for voters in the Democratic primary, according to exit polls taken for The Associated Press and television networks.

Given a choice of the war, economy and health care, about four in 10 voters said the war was the most important issue facing the country. About the same amount that said the economy was most important.

Vermont is the only state so far this year to rate the war so high. In every other Democratic primary, more voters have said the economy was the important issue facing the country, the exit polls said.

Vermont voters continued their liberal and independent streaks. About two-thirds of voters in the Democratic primary described themselves as liberal; about two in five identified themselves as independents, the polls said.

Clinton and Obama supporters campaigned heavily in Vermont in the weeks leading up to the primary, airing television and radio ads and mounting get-out-the-vote drives in hopes of winning the 15 convention delegates at stake Tuesday. Vermont has another eight super delegates.

In Hartford, Paul Keane, 63, complained to the Board of Civil Authority after he cast his ballot because he was required to declare a party affiliation in order to vote in the primary.

"I was shocked. This is Vermont. It's really so against everything Vermont believes in in terms of privacy and independence," said Keane, who wouldn't reveal his primary choice. "I couldn't believe I was being asked that in public in front of everybody. I wasn't allowed to just be an independent. It was like I was in New York City."

Vermont's primary is open to all, but voters must choose one ballot over the other and the choice is recorded.

Markowitz said complaints such as Keane's were common during presidential primaries.

"Every four years we do get calls from irate voters not accustomed to having their choices of a Democrat or Republican ballot made public," Markowitz said.

-- The Associated Press and projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:26 PM | Comment

Fort Worth managing editor wins 2008 Mimi Award

Lois Norder, investigations managing editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Texas, has won a 2008 award bestowed in honor of the memory of Mimi Burkhardt, a Providence Journal editor who died in 2004.

Norder received the Mimi Award "for her exceptional work as an editor," according to an online news release from the Dart Center, which presents the annual award. The Dart Center is comprised of journalists "dedicated to promoting sensitive coverage of victims of violence."

Norder is the second person to receive the award.

The award is given to editors with the qualities of Burkhardt, who "inspired those around her to live up to high ideals and to produce solid journalism with heart," the Dart Society said.

A group of journalists nominated Norder because she "champions and nurtures" the stories she edits and the reporters who write them.

“You can always go into her office and interrupt her. She’s completely available and committed to every aspect of the story,” said Yamil Berard, Star-Telegram projects reporter. “You can ask her anything you want. You can tell her what your biggest fear on something is, and she is completely helpful.”

The nonprofit Dart Society said it plans to present the award, including a $1,000 prize, at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Joan Walsh, editor-in-chief at Salon.com, received an honorable mention for this year's Mimi Award. According to the Dart Center, Walsh was nominated because she gives the staff “permission -- and a steady nudge of encouragement -- to care deeply about what [they] write about, to make it matter.”

The Dart Society sought Mimi Award nominations from journalists and news organizations around the country.

Norder and Walsh were among eight finalists considered. A panel of journalists, all affiliated with the Dart Society or the Dart Center, made the selection after reviewing editors’ work examples, reading nomination letters and interviewing coworkers of the top finalists.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:15 PM | Comment

Primary: Voters urged to keep 'disaffiliated' receipt

Always keep the receipt.

That’s what a handful of voters in West Warwick and a few dozen voters in Coventry learned today when they showed up to polling stations across the state to cast ballots in the presidential primary. There, they found out they were registered in an opposing party and unable to change their affiliation to vote.

The only recourse they had would be to reproduce an change of party affiliation affidavit -- a half sheet of yellow paper every voter receives when they disaffiliate.

Rather than any significant mechanical problems, several other Rhode Island voters today reported the problem of disaffiliation cropping up. They said that although they had disaffiliated, they were given a Democratic or Republican ballot when they arrived at the polls today. Chris Barnett, spokesman for Secretary of State Ralph Mollis, said earlier today that he had heard of a few such instances, and added that people may have forgotten to disaffiliate or switch parties after voting in the 2006 general election.

Check you voter registration and affiliation status online.

In either case, if a voter believes there’s an error in his or her affiliation, or is not showing on registration rolls, residents can always cast a provisional ballot, which can be added to the count once registration information is verified.

“That’s why we give them the receipt,” said Francis Perry, chairman of the board of canvassers in Coventry. “I know two years is a long time to save a piece of paper. I’m the same way. You don’t [think you need to] keep every receipt until you need it. Then, you think ‘why didn’t I keep that or carry it with me?’”

For the most part, voting went smoothly in West Warwick and Coventry, with midday tallies dwarfing vote totals in previous years. But for those voters who challenged their affiliation, the choice was simple: either vote using the ballot of their registered party, fill out a provisional ballot, or don't vote.

Some voters, like Sara Wye of West Warwick, chose not to vote.
“I’d say I’ve lived in Rhode Island for 35 years and I disaffiliate every time I vote,” she said. “It’s as automatic to me as voting. I’m not very happy.”

She'd gone home to search for her affidavit but gave up after she couldn't find it. She refused to vote on the Republican ballot and the concept of submitting a provisional ballot left her cold.

Provisional ballots are normally only counted after the regular election, which leaves many voters with the impression their vote does not count. But unaffiliated voters who produced their affidavit at the polling station, were assured their votes would be counted, Perry said.

-- Journal staff writer Talia Buford and projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:35 PM | Comment

Primary turnout update: Unusually strong, fairly smooth

Projo.com is keeping tabs on turnout at primary polls around the state today. Here are reports so far:

CRANSTON -- Officials said voting appeared to be smooth early in the day. But there were some complaints.

The city reduced polling stations to 10 this year, down from 20 in the 2004 presidential primary. And Robert Giardina, a 59-year-old priest, said he was frustrated to learn that he could not vote his normal polling station at Budlong Manor, a retirement home.

“I went up there this morning and the sign said go to City Hall,” he said, adding later, “I wasn’t happy about it.”

NORTH KINGSTOWN -- At the Davisville Middle School polling place, where a large portion of voters from the northern section of town cast ballots, more than a thousand voters had turned out by late afternoon.

In addition to veteran voters, conversations in line revealed first-timers who came to take part in the presidential preference primary. Also, the disaffiliation table -- where voters could change their party affiliations after their vote today -- was busy at the DMS site.

-- projo.com staffer Pam Cotter

CUMBERLAND -- At the St. Joseph’s Parish Center, the lines were longer than previous primaries even thought the site had received double the number of voting booths than in previous years.

Moderator Charles Alves said people had been waiting in line 10 minutes before polls opened at 7 a.m. “We’ve been moving them right along with no holdups,” he said.

There were 450 votes cast at the polling site as of 1:15 p.m, a number that would have taken the entire day at that site during previous primaries, according to John Koniezny, of the town Board of Canvassers.

Koniezny said the large turnout could be attributed to the fact that this year the church community center was the site for two polling places.

-- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo

FOSTER -- At the Moosup Valley Fire Station, the town’s lone polling site, Board of Canvasser’s Chair Natalie Arnold said that 449 voters had cast ballots as of 2:55 p.m, a “much higher number” than the last primary election.

Voters had been “dribbling in all day,” said Arnold, but if past years were any indication, she said the biggest crowds would come after work, beginning at about 4 p.m. and lasting until the polls closed. During the last presidential primary, 137 voters out of 2, 795 registered voters had cast ballots.

-- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo

GLOCESTER -- Town Clerk and Board of Canvassers Clerk Jean M. Fecteau said the town's single poll at Town Hall saw 960 voters cast ballots as of 3 p.m., a number that tripled the total amount from the previous presidential primary, she said.

During the last presidential primary, 245 voters out of 6,070 registered voters had cast ballots. This year’s surprisingly large turnout has meant longer than normal lines at cast a vote, but the crowds have remained patient, she said. “The people have been pleasant and nice.”

-- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo

JOHNSTON -- The ebb and flow of voting left the parking lot of the Ferri Middle School near full capacity through the mid-day hours.

Mayor Joseph M. Polisena, a stalwart of the Clinton campaign, hung around outside, talking to people and campaigning.

He wasn’t the only mayor in the parking lot: Joseph Curtatone, mayor of Somerville, Mass., had joined Polisena for his rounds. The two mayors said they met each other while campaigning for Clinton over the weekend. They planned to campaign together this afternoon and through the evening.

Clinton visited Johnston late last month, and Polisena has forecast an overwhelming victory for her in town.

As of this afternoon, the Board of Canvassers’ clerk, Laurie aRusso, didn’t have any numbers on turnout, but she suspected it was unusually high.

Through the day, the canvassers office fielded a steady stream of inquiries from people who want to know where to vote. That’s unusual during a presidential primary, aRusso said.

aRusso acknowledged one problem with a voting machine in the gymnasium of Ferri Middle School, the busiest of Johnston’s polling places yesterday.

The machine in question takes each paper ballot and scans the necessary information off it. Earlier in the day, the scanner on the machine had jammed.

The machine has an emergency chute that receives any ballots that do not feed into the scanner during a jam, aRusso said. Each of those ballots would be scanned and counted, she said.

As it turned out, the jam was fixed and a new machine was brought in as a backup in the event of any additional trouble, aRusso said.

-- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds

BURRILLVILLE -- Town Clerk Louise Phaneuf noticed the arrival of professional exit polling companies. One of the companies was working for CNN, she said.

“That’s so unusual up here,” Phaneuf said.

“It’s nice to see an exciting election,” she added.

At that point, around 3 p.m., about 1,000 residents had voted at four different polling places, Phaneuf said.

In the 2004 presidential preference primaries, she said, canvassers tallied 401 votes from Democrats and 21 votes from Republicans.

-- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds

PAWTUCKET -- Turnout was heavy in here, where the local Board of Canvassers opened half of the city’s usual 34 polling places, never anticipating that the Democratic primary would be such a hot race.

“I think we could have opened more (polling places) – maybe not all of them,” City Registrar of Voters Kenneth R. McGill said when asked whether he regretted the decision.

“Then again, who knew we were going to be in the mix? We thought it would all be over by Super Tuesday,” McGill said.

Instead, the Democratic primary in a city of 73,000 that used to be solidy pro-Hillary Clinton has has become part a possible make-or-break contest between Barack Obama and Clinton.

McGill predicted that 30 to 35 percent of the city’s voters would cast ballots, compared to the 9 percent who came to the polls in the primary in 2004.

At St. Teresa’s, a Catholic Church on Newport Avenue where three polling places were consolidated, lines got so long that the poll warden juggled letters of the alphabet, shuffling voters whose names began with common letters like “W” over to lines reserved for those whose names began with less common letters like “X, Y or Z.”

With consolidation, 5,000 people were eligible to vote at St. Teresa’s. By noon, about 700 people had cast ballots. Poll warden Pete Mecchi predicted the number would double: “I would say we’ll probably do at least 1,500,” he said.

-- Journal staff writer John Castellucci

RICHMOND -- About 25 voters were lined up outside at the town's single polling place before its doors opened at 9 a.m. And they've been arriving in a steady stream ever since, Town Clerk Mary Morgan said shortly after 11:30 this morning.

By that time, about 320 people had already cast their vote at the H.L. Arnold Fire Station on Richmond Townhouse Road. That's a rate of more than 100 per hour, Morgan noted. In previous presidential primaries, the total for the day might hit 400.

"It's really unbelievable," she said.

The lines were relatively long at the poll in the semi-rural town, with about a half-dozen or so people waiting to be checked in before the two registrars, who had split their lists in half alphabetically.

Once through that process, they moved to one of 10 voting stations, where they quickly filled out their short ballots.

The only problem that Morgan had seen so far is that some voters had overlooked instructions on the ballot and picked more delegates than allowed. The single voting scanner then spit back their ballot, and they had to start again.

Asked what she thought of the strong turnout, Morgan, a longtime town official, said diplomatically, "I think it's very interesting." Then, she added, "That's good. It shows you people are listening."

-- projo.com staff

EAST PROVIDENCE -- Voters at Rumford Towers on Newman Avenue in East Providence had to deal with a lack of parking this morning, and, in some cases, a long wait if their last name began with letters that seemed to draw more voters.

While some lines, such as that for last names beginning with A or B, were often empty, others, such as the line for C, D or E were long and sometimes out the door, with a wait of about 30 minutes.

An election worker, asked about the situation, said the letters were divided so that each line would have about the same number of voters. Since there was only one book with names and addresses for each line, there was no way that poll workers at the slow lines could help workers at the busy lines, she said.

PORTSMOUTH -- At Portsmouth Town Hall, 1,284 people had voted by 11 a.m., which is already more than the total number that had voted in the 2004 primary, according to Nancy Peveler, executive assistant to the board of canvassers.

At the Ferri Middle School in Johnston, the entire voting process took about 23 minutes late this morning.

The polling place has just one scanner and a long line formed at the scanner as voters waited to turn in their ballots.

-- With reports from Journal staff writers John Castellucci, Gregory Smith, Meaghan Wims, Arline Fleming, Randal Edgar, Gina Macris, and Paul Edward Parker, and projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Click below for more reports ...

BARRINGTON -- Voting was steady throughout the morning at the Barrington Middle School, where the wait ranged from about 15 minutes to about half an hour.

A total of 455 people had voted when the power went out at 10:30 a.m, stopping the automatic count on the lone machine that received the completed ballots. While the electricity remained out, polling clerk William Thurber sat next to the machine and directed voters to drop their ballots through a slot in the side.

About 2,700 Barrington customers were affected by the outage, which was caused by a fallen tree limb at a substation on Maple Avenue, according to National Grid Spokesman David Graves. He said electricity was restored at 11:10 a.m.

SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Frances Thayer, moderator at South Kingstown High School, said turnout this morning was “tremendous, the highest I’ve ever seen and I’ve been doing this for a couple of years.”

“But it was expected,” she said. People were waiting ten to 15 minutes to cast their ballots this morning.

A steady stream of voters arrived at the high school gymnasium, with 353 having cast their ballots as of 9:30 a.m.

Jill Granville brought her two year-old daughter Samantha “so she can see the process. We’ll keep doing it,” she said of bringing her to the polling place.

Several people waiting to vote in the high school gym discovered that they were in the wrong place and expressed frustration. Still, they said they would make the trip to Kingston to cast their ballot.

PAWTUCKET -- "It's crowded here," reports three-year-old junior projo.com correspondent Oliver Bartlett Parker from the scene at St. Joseph's Church in Pawtucket, where he went to vote with his father, Journal writer Paul Edward Parker.

The usually quiet polling place was filled to capacity just before 10 this morning, with all voting booths occupied, about 10 times as many ballots cast as usual for that time of day and a line of people waiting to have their disaffiliation affidavits signed.

CRANSTON -- There were about 30 people waiting in line when the polls opened at 7 a.m. at the Phillips Memorial Baptist Church in Cranston. Several voters said they were on their way to work and wanted to vote in the morning because they expected longer lines later in the day.

The voting went smoothly during the first 15 minutes. Voters spent only a few minutes in the polling both to fill out the simple ballot.

After casting ballots, several people filled out slips of paper to disaffiliate from the party in which they voted.

PROVIDENCE -- There was a 20-minute line at the Vartan Gregorian School in Fox Point.

One voter in her running clothes said she couldn't wait. She said she would have to vote later with her husband after work.

At the Jewish Community Center on Elmgrove, there were four people on hand at 6:45 a.m., but by the time she had finished voting, Marisol Chavez said "the line was all the way down the stairs and probably out the door."

Her status as an unaffiliated voter seemed to complicate the process just a bit, as she was shuffled through a few different lines before she found the right person. And to boot, the voting pen was out of ink.

But she was willing to give poll staffers the benefit of the doubt.

"It was first thing in the morning."

Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:30 PM | Comment

Update: Man, shot in Central Falls, taken to hospital

CENTRAL FALLS -- A man in his 20s was shot this afternoon after an incident near a black Oldsmobile at the corner of Clay and Broad streets near the Store 24.

The man has been taken by ambulance to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, Police Chief Joseph P. Moran III said.

Moran said he did not know the man;s condition and would not disclose his name.

The incident happened about 2:33 p.m. The police are investigating, looking for suspects.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina

Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:17 PM | Comment

Power failure affects 3 Brown buildings

PROVIDENCE -- A power failure affected three buildings at Brown University today, including the BioMed Center, where some workers were let go early because of ventilation issues.

A university spokesman said that power went out at the Brown Office Building for about 10 minutes, Sidney E. Frank Hall for Life Sciences for about an hour, and the biomed building for a longer time. The outages began around 10 a.m.

"Nonessential personnel" were given the OK to leave the biomedical building, where power is expected to be back to normal through the structure by 5 p.m., according to Mark Nickel.

The cause of the power failure is not yet known.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:41 PM | Comment

Primary: State officials tour polling places

Secretary of State Ralph Mollis and his director of communications Chris Barnett, as well as several other staff members have been visiting polling places across the state today and they say one thing is clear.

“Poll workers are uniformly reporting some of the heaviest turnout they’ve ever seen,” Barnett said.

There have not been widespread or recurring problems, he said, but there have been minor glitches at different polling places, particularly in the morning, including a name left off of the registration roll or a malfunctioning voting machine.

The Secretary of State is operating a voter information hot line at 1-877-Go2 Vote (1-877-462-8683).

The Providence Journal has fielded a handful of calls from residents with problems ranging from not immediately having disabilities accommodation, to several voters saying they had disaffiliated, but when they showed up to vote today, were given a Democratic or Republican ballot.

Check your voter registration and affiliation status online.

Barnett said he had heard of a few such instances, and said people may have forgotten to disaffiliate after switching parties to vote in the 2006 general election.

In either case, if a voter believes there’s an error in his or her affiliation, or is not showing on registration rolls, residents can always cast a provisional ballot, which can be added to the count once registration information is verified.

Barnett said he’s been out since 8:30 this morning and plans to keep it up until the polls close at 9 p.m. Then he and Mollis will head back to the Secretary of State’s office, where the counting begins.

The office is still expecting to begin announcing results at about 9:15 tonight.

For more information about today's primary, visit projo.com's politics section.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:35 PM | Comment

Federal grants to smooth welfare-to-work transition

Providence and Central Falls residents who receive welfare and are living in public housing will soon be getting support to help make the transition from welfare to employment.

The cities are recipients of the federal Resident Opportunities for Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Program, which distributes money through the cities’ Housing Authorities.

In a statement today, Sen. Jack Reed announced Providence is to receive a $350,000 Family and Homeownership grant and Central Falls a $210,000 Elderly grant.

“This federal funding will allow housing authorities in Providence and Central Falls to provide families and seniors in public housing with critical support services to help them achieve and maintain self-sufficiency,” said Reed, a member of the Banking Committee that oversees federal housing policy.

“This program is geared towards helping people who want to help themselves.”

The Family and Homeownership grant program provides money for job training, placement and college prep classes to help welfare recipients’ transition to work. Child services, transportation and other services are also provided.

The Elderly grant program funds programs that bring elderly and disabled residents together with health and social services to help them live independently.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:29 PM | Comment

Bridge opens between Dunk and convention Center

Journal archive photo / Bill Murphy
The new bridge between the Rhode Island Convention Center and the Dunkin' Donuts Center is now open.

PROVIDENCE - The bridge connecting the Dunkin' Donuts Center and the Rhode Island Convention Center has opened, giving pedestrians an indoor pathway from the arena all the way to the Westin Providence hotel and the Providence Place mall.

More than a shortcut for patrons, the bridge is designed to help the owners of the Dunk and convention center, the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority, bring more conventions to Providence, The Providence Journal has reported.

In the convention center's main exhibition hall, a speaker can address about 3,500 people at a time; in the Dunk, the audience can reach 14,000.

"It will help the buildings communicate," James P. McCarvill, the authority's executive director, said last summer. "It's really important. They can work very well together."

The Authority bought the Dunk from the City of Providence in 2005 for $28.5 million. The bridge is part of an $80.5-million renovation project at the Dunk.

Construction crews began building the $1.4-million, 96-foot-long box truss bridge last June. It connects the Dunk's new lobby with the third floor of the convention center, near the main exhibition hall.

"They're still doing finishing touches," convention center authority spokeswoman Kerrie L. Bennett said today. "But it seems to be going well."

The authority hopes to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 5 to mark the end of the renovation. That ceremony will be followed by public tours of the building the next day and concerts the following weekend.

For the latest Business news, see projo.com's Biz Blog.

-- Journal staff writer Benjamin Gedan

Posted by Jack Perry at 2:14 PM | Comment

Smokeshop raid began with the purchase of 2 cartons

PROVIDENCE — A defense lawyer questioned Sgt. Donald Devine today about the preparations that led to the raid on a Narragansett Indian smoke shop in July 2003.

Sgt. Devine said he and tax administrator David Thomas bought two cartons of cigarettes at dramatically reduced prices the afternoon the shop opened and then used the unstamped cigarettes to convince state District Court Judge Richard A. Gonella to issue a search and seizure warrant later that night.

About 25 state police met at the Hope Valley barracks the next morning to talk about executing the warrant, but it was called off for reasons Devine did not know.

Under questioning by defense lawyer William P. Devereaux, Devine said he did not know why the state didn’t seek the federal restraining order he referred to in memos to his superiors or why state police executed the warrant two days later with SWAT team members, a police dog and some 45 officers despite a risk assessment he did that concluded it could be handled by his superior Lt. John Leyden.

“It’s not written in stone you have to go by that,” Devine said of the risk assessment.
Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and six other tribal members are on trial in providence Superior Court for misdemeanor charges of resisting and assaulting state police conducting the raid.

Devine’s testimony will continue this afternoon.

Extra: See the Journals extended coverage of the 2003, including photographs and videos

-- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:50 PM | Comment

Primary: So far, Cicilline finding city polls busy

PROVIDENCE -- Mayor David N. Cicilline has been touring city polling places today, as the state holds its presidential primary.

Wearing an "I Voted" sticker on his suit jacket's lapel, the mayor was stopping for a light lunch to go at the Starbucks in the Providence Biltmore hotel.

He'd already been at some polls on the East Side and at Carroll Towers on Smith Street. He described all of them as "busy."

Cicilline said there was a line at his own polling place, Church of the Redeemer on Hope Street, when he went to vote at 8:15 this morning.

Next stop for the mayor were polls on the city's South Side.

Noting that more than 43,000 of new voters in Rhode Island had signed up this year, and what is looking like a tremendous turnout for a presidential primary, the mayor had one word for it:

"Unbelievable."

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:18 PM | Comment

Primary: Keeping the polls organized/ Photo

Journal photo/ Kathy Borchers
Fernando Galvao, clerk, organizes completed ballot applications while voters check in before voting at the Vartan Gregorian School in Fox Point, Providence, at 10:30 a.m. today.

Posted by Jack Perry at 12:42 PM | Comment

City contest will encourage sustainable housing

How can the city motivate builders to create houses that are less harmful to the environment?

Competition is always good.

Mayor David N. Cicilline plans to launch the city’s first Sustainable Housing Design Competition later this week. One of the competition’s goals is to show that “green building” can be affordable.

Another aim will be to help developers understand how to integrate energy efficient designs into the construction of affordable houses.

The competition will be launched Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at 17 Gordon Ave., in Providence. The competition winner will be announced at the city’s 3rd annual Celebration of Housing breakfast in May.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:00 PM | Comment

Advocates ask police to work with mental health pros

In an open letter to the police chiefs of the state, eight advocacy groups urged them to provide more training to help officers respond to calls for help with subjects that have a mental illness.

The letter was sent as a response to two recent deaths of men whose families had called the police to help the men get access to mental health care.

Jason Swift, 31, was shot and killed by a Pawtucket police officer. Forty-year-old Leonel Farias died after a struggle with East Providence police.

“We realize that investigations of these two incidents are ongoing,” the letter states, “and we do not seek to cast blame on the police officers involved.”

But though some departments have initiated special training on their own, the letter said “Broader, and more comprehensive training is essential if more tragedies are not to take place,” such as collaborative programs between police departments and mental health agencies.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

The letter was signed by a handful of mental health advocates, including Elizabeth V. Earls, president of the R.I. Council of Community Mental Health Organizations, Inc.; Anne Mulready, supervising attorney for the R.I. Disability Law Center; and Steven Brown, the executive director for the R.I. affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Representatives from NAMI Rhode Island; the Parent Support Network; Mental Health Consumer Advocates of Rhode Island; the National Association of Social Workers; and the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island also signed the letter.

"The family members of individuals with mental illness must feel comfortable picking up the phone and calling 911 when help for a loved one is needed," the letter states.

"In light of these two deaths, that comfort level is very shaky right now."

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:45 AM | Comment

Primary: Voting rolls along, though not without problems

High voter turnout and an influx of new polling place staffers has ensured that just a few hours after voting began, so did the problems.

But the process is rolling along. And some voters who have not been discouraged by the setbacks are working with state and local officials to set things right before the polls close at 9 tonight.

Lori Dorsey almost didn’t vote this morning. She said it’s because she has a disability.

With high voter turnout for today's primary, lines are long at many polling places.

Dorsey, a 53-year-old social worker, has a back problem and can’t stand for long periods of time without support. But when she asked for a chair at her polling place, the Shriners Hall in Cranston, she said she was told she’d have to come back later.

Dorsey, who said she works two jobs, said several workers all but ignored her request and she almost left.

“I thought, ‘What am I thinking?’ ” She wondered if she was being turned away, what was happening to elderly voters, or others who were more easily discouraged.

“I had to rant and rave and scream and threaten,” she said.

Ultimately, it was the threat to reach out to a television reporter, she said, that got her a chair. Then she contacted the state Board of Elections.

Miguel Nunez, program specialist at Board, said he told Dorsey that “she should be accommodated.”

He said a representative from the city’s Board of Canvassers would go speak to the staffers at Hall and make sure they knew that voters with special needs have a right to be accommodated.

Constance Campana went to vote at the Church of the Redeemer on Providence’s East Side this morning. She said she had to wait about 40 minutes because staffers were missing some voter registration information.

First, she said, the staffers told her she was in the wrong place. Then, she said, they needed to use her mobile phone to reach the city’s Board of Canvassers to verify her information.

Laurence Flynn, executive director of the Providence Board of Canvassers, says the missing pages were sent to the church and the problem has been fixed.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:42 AM | Comment

Primary: Chelsea Clinton returning to Rhode Island

Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton returns to Rhode Island today to help her mother's effort to win the presidential primary.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is battling for the Democrat nomination against Sen. Barack Obama with primaries held today in Ohio, Texas and Vermont, as well as the Ocean State.

Chelsea Clinton, who visited Rhode Island Friday, will join campaign volunteers in talking about her mother's presidential bid.

After visiting Twin Oaks in Cranston at 12:30 p.m.; she will attend a rally and thank volunteers at the campaign's Rhode Island headquarters at 175 Broad Street, Providence, at 1:15 p.m.

At 2 p.m., she will visit the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees office at 1179 Charles Street, North Providence, to greet and thank volunteers, then she plans to visit Providence Place mall at 2:30 p.m. to greet voters.

Rhode Island has received a lot of attention leading up to the primary with visits from both candidates and others campaigning on their behalf.

Yesterday, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry visited Rhode Island to campaign for Obama, while former Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn visited the Ocean State to campaign for Clinton.

Posted by Jack Perry at 9:16 AM | Comment

Primary: A husband-wife team at their polls post/ Photo

Journal photo/ Bill Murphy
Victor Ricci, left, and his wife, Evelyn Ricci, are ready to check-in the voters at the APW Union Hall on Plainfield Street in Johnston, as the polls open on primary day in Rhode Island.

Posted by Jack Perry at 9:06 AM | Comment

Smoke-shop trial set to continue today

PROVIDENCE -- The trial of seven Narragansett Indians arrested during a 2003 raid on a tribal smoke shop is expected to resume today.

Testimony was suspended yesterday because a juror was ill. A court spokesman says Judge Susan McGuirl has decided the case will resume today.

Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and six other tribe members are charged with misdemeanor crimes ranging from disorderly conduct to assault.

They were arrested in July 2003 when state police raided a tribal smoke shop that was not collecting state taxes.

The jurors are expected to hear more testimony from State Police Detective Donald Devine, who supervised the investigation into the smoke shop.

Extra: See extended coverage, including photos and video from the 2003 raid.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:46 AM | Comment

Primary: Projo.com on the job all day

Projo.com will be on the job throughout the day today and into the night as Rhode Islanders go to the polls for what may become a historic presidential primary for the nation's smallest state.

We'll be posting information about what's happening at some of the polls around the state, especially as local canvassers cope with fewer polling places and predicted longer lines.

At any time, voters can find information about where their polling places are, either through an online search or by checking lists by town.

They can also look back at Journal and projo.com coverage on the campaigns, including stories, audio reports and more, and take surveys on the election.

You can find all of this information on our main Politics page. We'll also offer key resources and latest news via our home page; and in our 7to7 news and politics blogs.

Shortly after the polls close statewide at 9 p.m., projo.com will have results directly from the state Board of Elections, which we expect will be updated every 15 minutes. You can check results by primary race, by town and by poll.

We'll also have early news reports on the R.I. primary from projo.com and Journal staff, as well as full coverage of the three other key primaries tomorrow via the Associated Press.

And you'll have a chance to react to the results as they develop, via surveys and bulletin board.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:02 AM | Comment

A high near 60 degrees, but rain later

There is rain in the forecast, but not until later this afternoon. In the meantime, the National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature near 60 degrees -- still 10 degrees cooler than the record of 70 degrees, set in 1950.

The rain, which is expected to start at about 3 p.m., should continue into the night, picking up after midnight when the temperature drops to about 41 degrees. East winds should pick up, gusting as high as 31 mph.

Tomorrow expect heavy rain at times in the morning and a high temperature near 52 degrees. We'll start the day with east winds up to 20 mph., then turning west, gusting up to 33 mph.

For weather updates throughout the day, see projo.com's weather page.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features coverage of today's presidential primary in Rhode Island.

Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment