Culture of Rhode Island - Politics

Politics

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic
2012	35.24% 157,204	62.70% 279,677
2008	35.21% 165,391	63.13% 296,571
2004	38.67% 169,046	59.42% 259,760
2000	31.91% 130,555	60.99% 249,508
1996	26.82% 104,683	59.71% 233,050
1992	29.02% 131,601	47.04% 213,299
1988	43.93% 177,761	55.64% 225,123
1984	51.66% 212,080	48.02% 197,106
1980	37.20% 154,793	47.70% 198,342
1976	44.10% 181,249	55.40% 227,636
1972	53.00% 220,383	46.80% 194,645
1968	31.80% 122,359	64.00% 246,518
1964	19.10% 74,615	80.90% 315,463
1960	36.40% 147,502	63.60% 258,032
1956	58.30% 225,819	41.70% 161,790
1952	50.90% 210,935	49.10% 203,293

The capital of Rhode Island is Providence. The state's current governor is Lincoln Chafee (D), and the lieutenant governor is Elizabeth H. Roberts (D). Its United States Senators are Jack Reed (D) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D). Rhode Island's two United States Representatives are David Cicilline (D-1) and Jim Langevin (D-2). See congressional districts map.

Rhode Island is one of a few states that do not have an official Governor's residence. See List of Rhode Island Governors.

The state legislature is the Rhode Island General Assembly, consisting of the 75-member House of Representatives and the 38-member Senate. Both houses of the bicameral body are currently dominated by the Democratic Party.

Because Rhode Island's population barely crosses the threshold for additional votes in both the federal House and Electoral College, it is well represented relative to its population, with the eighth-highest number of electoral votes and second-highest number of House Representatives per resident. Based on its area, Rhode Island even has the highest density of electoral votes.

Federally, Rhode Island is a reliably Democratic state during presidential elections, regularly giving the Democratic nominees one of their best showings. The state was devoted to Republicans until 1908, but has only strayed from the Democrats 7 times in the 24 elections that have followed. The last sixteen presidential elections in Rhode Island have resulted in the Democratic Party winning the Ocean State's Electoral College votes twelve times (The only Republican victories during that time being in 1952, 1956, 1972 and 1984). In the 1980 presidential election, Rhode Island was one of only six states to vote against Republican Ronald Reagan. Reagan did carry Rhode Island in his 49-state victory in 1984, but the state was Reagan's second-weakest victory (After neighboring Massachusetts). No Republican since Reagan has even won any of the state's counties in a Presidential election; in fact, in 1988, it was the only state where George H.W Bush lost every county (Although Bush still was able to win over 40% of the state's popular vote, something no Republican since has done). Rhode Island was the Democrats' leading state in 1988 and 2000, and second-best in 1968, 1996 and 2004. Rhode Island's most one-sided Presidential election result was in 1964, with over 80% of Rhode Island's votes going for Lyndon B. Johnson. In 2004, Rhode Island gave John Kerry more than a 20-percentage-point margin of victory (the third-highest of any state), with 59.4% of its vote. All but three of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns voted for the Democratic candidate. The only exceptions were East Greenwich, West Greenwich and Scituate. In 2008, Rhode Island gave Barack Obama a 29-percentage-point margin of victory (the third-highest of any state), with 64% of its vote. All but one of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns voted for the Democratic candidate (The exception being Scituate). Rhode Island also had one of the best voter turnouts in the country for the 2008 presidential election, with 83% of the state's active voters voting.

Further information: Political party strength in Rhode Island

Voter registration and party enrollment as of March 15, 2011
Party		Active voters	Inactive voters	Total voters	Percentage
	Democratic	124,088	10,729	134,817	19.54%
	Republican	72,033	7,392	79,425	11.51%
	Moderate	5,532	101	5,633	0.82%
	Unaffiliated	430,123	39,953	470,076	68.13%
Total		631,776	58,175	689,951	100%

Rhode Island has abolished capital punishment, making it one of 15 states that have done so. Rhode Island abolished the death penalty very early, just after Michigan, the first state to abolish it, and carried out its last execution in the 1840s. Rhode Island was the second to last state to make prostitution illegal. Until November 2009 Rhode Island law made prostitution legal provided it took place indoors. In a 2009 study Rhode Island was listed as the 9th safest state in the country.

In 2011 Rhode Island became the third state in the United States to pass legislation to allow the use of medical marijuana. Additionally the Rhode Island General Assembly passed civil unions and it was signed into law by Governor Lincoln Chafee on July 2, 2011. Rhode Island became the eighth state to fully recognize either same-sex marriage or civil unions. Same-Sex Marriage became legal on May 2, 2013 and will take effect August 1.

Rhode Island has some of the highest taxes in the country, particularly its property taxes, ranking seventh in local and state taxes, and sixth in real estate taxes.