GoLocal Examines Voting Records of RI Gubernatorial Candidates

GoLocal Examines Voting Records of RI Gubernatorial Candidates

Canvassing records reveal one thing each of Rhode Island's 2014 gubernatorial candidate has in common: imperfect voting records.

Last week, GoLocal broke down Democratic candidate Clay Pell’s spotty voting record, and went on to determine that the grandson of Sen. Claiborne Pell failed to vote in 10 of the 18 elections he was eligible to participate in.

Today, GoLocal examines the voting records of the four remaining candidates -- Gina Raimondo, Ken Block, Angel Taveras, and Allan Fung.

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RI State Treasurer Gina Raimondo

State Treasurer and Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Gina Marie Raimondo, a native of Smithfield, became eligible to vote in 1989. According to the Providence Board of Canvassers, Raimondo voted in the primary, presidential, mayoral and gubernatorial elections for the years 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012.

“I do not have her voter registration card in Smithfield anymore,” Said Smithfield Town Clerk Carol A. Aquilante.

That’s not to say Raimondo never voted before 2002. It’s possible she did and the files have been destroyed or sent to storage. However, Raimondo Campaign Manager Eric Hyers said “She registered to vote as soon as she moved back to Rhode Island.”

Hyers did not respond to additional questions or repeated requests for additional information.

 

Ken Block

Republican candidate Ken Block cast his first vote in the 2000 election. A native of Milford, CT, Block became eligible to vote in 1983. He cited an extensive travel schedule during his early career as a software engineer as one of the hurdles to a steady voting record.

“I moved to Rhode Island in 1991 and bought my first home shortly after. Between 1991 and 1999, I was traveling as a software engineer working for GTECH. As a young adult starting my career, my work as an engineer required travel and extended stays in many places including Austin, Texas, Irving, Texas, Salem, Oregon, Edmonton, Canada, Saskatoon, Canada, Calgary, Canada, Winnipeg, Canada, and even Stockholm, Sweden,” he said.

According to the Milford Registrars Office, there is no record of Block ever voting in Connecticut. It's possible the records were purged by the system. Connecticut does not keep voter records indefinitely, especially if the resident has moved to another state. Block, however, admitted Thursday that he never voted until he moved to Rhode Island.

“In 2000, I married my wife Jen and settled in Rhode Island, no longer travelling for business. I voted in 2000 and every election since. As a father of two, I will encourage my kids to start voting earlier than I did. And my daughter Ana is already way ahead of me. She won an election for student government, and now reminds me that she is the only member of the family to be elected to office. I hope to change that soon.”

According to the Providence Board of Canvassers, Block voted in the following elections – including primary, presidential and gubernatorial: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011 (Special Election in Barrington, where he lives), and 2012.

 

Providence Mayor Angel Taveras

Democrat candidate and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras became eligible to vote in 1988. According to the Providence Board of Canvassers, Taveras voted in the primary, presidential, mayoral and gubernatorial elections for the years 1996, 1997 (Providence Special Election), 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012.

Taveras Campaign Manager Danny Kedem did not return multiple requests for comment regarding the candidate’s voting record for the years leading up to 1996.

 

 

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, Block’s opponent in the upcoming Republican Primary, became eligible to vote in 1988. According to the Providence Board of Canvassers, Fung has voted in every primary, presidential, mayoral and gubernatorial race since 1996, including a 2003 Cranston Special Election. Fung voted in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003 (Cranston Special Election), 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012.

The Fung campaign did not return numerous calls for comment regarding the Mayor's voting record prior to 1996.

More concern with recent history

“I think voters mostly are concerned with whether someone has voted in recent years. If a candidate is seeking office now, people want to see that they have been engaged in the issues and participating in elections,” said political expert Darrell M. West of the Brookings Institution. “What someone did a decade or more ago would be much less of a problem from a voter standpoint.”