Rhode Island Question 4, Cultural Arts and Economy Grant Program Bond Measure (2024)
| Rhode Island Cultural Arts and Economy Grant Program Bond Measure | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 5, 2024 | |
| Topic Bond issues | |
| Status On the ballot | |
| Type Bond issue | Origin State Legislature |
The Rhode Island Cultural Arts and Economy Grant Program Bond Measure is on the ballot in Rhode Island as a legislatively referred bond question on November 5, 2024.
A "yes" vote supports issuing $10 million in bonds for funding for 1:1 matching grants to continue the Cultural Arts and Economy Grant program administered by the Rhode Island state council on the arts, and for improvements and renovations to the Tomaquag Museum, the Newport Contemporary Ballet, and the Trinity Repertory Company. |
A "no" vote opposes issuing $10 million in bonds for funding for 1:1 matching grants to continue the Cultural Arts and Economy Grant program administered by the Rhode Island state council on the arts, and for improvements and renovations to the Tomaquag Museum, the Newport Contemporary Ballet, and the Trinity Repertory Company. |
What would the bond revenue from Question 4 fund?
- See also: Text of measure
Question 4 was designed to issue $10 million in bonds for funding for 1:1 matching grants to continue the Cultural Arts and Economy Grant program administered by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and for improvements and renovations to the Tomaquag Museum ($2 million), the Newport Contemporary Ballet ($2 million), the Trinity Repertory Company ($2 million).[1]
How did Question 4 get on the ballot?
- See also: Path to the ballot
To put a legislatively referred bond question before voters, a simple majority vote is required in both the Rhode Island State Senate and the Rhode Island House of Representatives. In Rhode Island, the state General Assembly must ask voters to issue general obligation bonds over $50,000, except in the case of war, insurrection, or invasion.
The bond measure was introduced into the Rhode Island General Assembly as a provision of Article 5 of House Bill 7225 (HB 7225), the state appropriations bill for the fiscal year 2025. HB 7225 included four total bond measures. The legislature voted on each article separately.
On June 7, 2024, the House passed Article 5 of HB 7225 by 68-6. On June 13, the Senate voted 35-2 in concurrence with the House.[2][3]
The total bond package included the following:
| Measure | Primary purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Higher education | $87,500,000 |
| Question 2 | Housing | $120,000,000 |
| Question 3 | Environment | $53,000,000 |
| Question 4 | Culture and arts | $10,000,000 |
What is the history of bond measures in Rhode Island?
Between 2008 and 2022, voters in Rhode Island decided on 32 bond measures totaling $2.1 billion in principal value. Voters approved 100% of the bond measures, with support ranging from 55.23% (Question 2 of 2010) to 83.89% (Question 3 of 2016). Voters had not rejected a bond measure since 2006, when 50.56% of electors rejected a $4.0 million bond for improvements in Fort Adams State Park.
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of the bond package is below:[1]
Path to the ballot
To put a legislatively referred bond question before voters, a simple majority vote is required in both the Rhode Island State Senate and the Rhode Island House of Representatives. In Rhode Island, the state General Assembly must ask voters to issue general obligation bonds over $50,000, except in the case of war, insurrection, or invasion.
The bond measure was introduced into the Rhode Island General Assembly as a provision of Article 5 of House Bill 7225 (HB 7225), the state appropriations bill for the fiscal year 2025. HB 7225 included four total bond measures. The legislature voted on each article separately.
On June 7, 2024, the House passed Article 5 of HB 7225 by 68-6.[2] On June 13, the Senate voted 35-2 in concurrence with the House.[3] The governor signed HB 7225 on June 17.
How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in Rhode Island
Click "Show" to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Rhode Island.
| How to cast a vote in Rhode Island | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll timesWhile most polls in Rhode Island open at 7 a.m. Eastern Time, certain municipalities may opt to open their polls later. In New Shoreham, for example, polls open at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. All polls statewide close at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[4] Registration
To register to vote in Rhode Island, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Rhode Island, and at least 16 years old. To voter, one must be at least 18 years old by Election Day.[5] Applicants can register online, by mailing in a voter registration form, or in person at the local board of canvassers or other state agencies such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Human Services, or the Department of Mental Health.[5] Automatic registration
Rhode Island enacted automatic voter registration in 2017.[6] Online registration
Rhode Island has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registration
Residency requirementsTo register to vote in Rhode Island, you must be a resident of the state. Verification of citizenshipRhode Island does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. Verifying your registrationThe Rhode Island Department of State allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website. Voter ID requirementsRhode Island requires voters to present photo identification (ID) while voting. Accepted forms of ID include a Rhode Island driver's license, Rhode Island voter ID card, and U.S. passport. For a list of all accepted forms of ID, see below. The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Rhode Island Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rhode Island State Legislature, "House Bill 7225 Text," accessed July 2, 2024
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rhode Island General Assembly, "House Bill No. 7225 Article 5," accessed June 20, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rhode Island General Assembly, "House Bill No. 7225 Article 5," accessed June 20, 2024
- ↑ Rhode Island Board of Elections, "General Election Polling Place Hours," accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Rhode Island Department of State, "Register to Vote," accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Providence Journal, “Raimondo signs automatic voter registration bill into law,” August 1, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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