Providence City Council Ward 2 Special Election update
One of the candidates scored the endorsement of former Ward 2 City Councilmember Helen Anthony...
With early voting already underway, the Providence City Council Ward 2 Special Election is beginning to heat up. Five people are running in this race: Republican Axel Brito (Republican), Democrats Dave Caldwell, Jill Davidson, Jeff Levy, and Matt McDermott. Brito, running as a Republican, is unopposed in his primary race, which is scheduled for November 4. The names are linked to interviews I did with all the candidates. I hope to interview Brito after the primary. He will face off against one of the four Democrats in the general election, which will take place on December 2.
There will be a public Candidate Forum on Tuesday, October 28, at 7:00 PM at Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Avenue, Providence. This forum, co-sponsored by Temple Beth-El and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, will allow residents to hear directly from candidates running for the Ward 2 City Council seat. The event is nonpartisan and open to all members of the public.
Candidates will answer questions on various local issues, including education, housing, public safety, and community involvement. I hope to be there to record the event and present it here.
The Providence Street Coalition released the results of a questionnaire they sent out to all five candidates. The questions are, of course, mostly centered on issues of safe streets and mobility. If you care about bike lanes, parking, and walkability, it’s worth a look. The candidates strongly or somewhat align on the issues, with Jeff Levy being the outlier.
Several candidates have secured endorsements from national and local advocacy groups, but Jill Davidson scored the big one when former Ward 2 City Councilmember Helen Anthony endorsed her. The special election was called when Councilmember Anthony stepped down for health reasons.
“I am proud to endorse Jill Davidson,” said Helen Anthony. “I know what it takes to be an effective advocate, and Jill has exactly the experience and dedication we need. Her deep involvement in public schools locally and nationally demonstrates the hands-on commitment our families deserve and the policy expertise the council needs as our schools return to local control. Jill has shown up for two decades, listened carefully, and brought stakeholders together to get things done for our community.”