RI Midterm Primary Candidate Questions: Civil Liberties Edition

We sent a survey of civil liberties questions to all the candidates running for statewide office (except for Treasurer) that will be on the ballot in the 2026 Rhode Island midterm elections, as well as the Providence mayoral candidates.

Each question could be answered with a simple yes or no, and the candidates had the opportunity to elaborate on any of the questions if they chose to.

Use the links on the left side of the screen to jump to a specific office. Click the boxes at the end of each section to see candidates' long-form answers and additional comments.

We received responses from candidates Helena Buonanno Foulkes and Jasjit "Jay" Gotra. We did not receive responses from Gov. Dan McKee, Aaron Guckian, Elaine Pelino, Ken Block, or CD Reynolds.

1. Do you support reinstatement of a law mandating that police collect data on traffic stops and searches and providing for an independent analysis of that data to examine for racial disparities?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: No
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

2. Do you support the passage of legislation that would set limits on the use of “automated license plate reader” surveillance technology by law enforcement?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: Yes
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

3. Do you support passage of comprehensive legislation that would codify and expand at the state level the federal Voting Rights Act?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: Yes
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: No "yes/no" response, see "additional comments"

4. Do you support the statutory presumptive awarding of attorney’s fees to prevailing plaintiffs brought under state civil rights laws?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: Yes
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

5. Do you support amending the Access to Public Records Act to mirror the federal Freedom of Information Act’s provision for waiving or reducing search and copy fees when “furnishing the information is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester?”

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: Yes
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

6. Do you support allowing local and state police to collaborate with immigration officials under so-called 287(g) agreements?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: No
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: No

7. Do you believe Rhode Islanders should have the right to know when governmental decisions that directly impact them are being made using artificial intelligence?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: No "yes/no" response, see "additional comments"
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

8. Do you support passage of legislation requiring a parent or guardian to be present before police can question a juvenile?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: Yes
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

9. Do you support legislation that would bar, or restrict without parental consent, access by minors to social media platforms?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: Yes
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

10. Do you support strengthening the Homeless Bill of Rights to require at least a few weeks’ notice before the dismantling of homeless encampments by police?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: No "yes/no" response, see "additional comments"
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: No "yes/no" response, see "additional comments"

11. Do you support passage of legislation strengthening protections for health-related data that could infer a person’s reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare status?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: Yes
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

12. Do you support passage of a state constitutional amendment that would establish a legal right to an adequate, equitable and meaningful public education?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: Yes
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

13. Do you support the reduction of state funding for school resource officers and a focus instead on increased counseling and mental health support services in schools?

Helena Buonanno Foulkes: No response, see "additional comments"
Jasjit "Jay" Gotra: Yes

We received responses from candidates Susan "Sue" AnderBois, Cynthia Armour Coyne, Sabina Matos, and Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong. We did not receive responses from Ross McCurdy or John Loughlin.

1. Do you support reinstatement of a law mandating that police collect data on traffic stops and searches and providing for an independent analysis of that data to examine for racial disparities?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

2. Do you support the passage of legislation that would set limits on the use of “automated license plate reader” surveillance technology by law enforcement?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

3. Do you support passage of comprehensive legislation that would codify and expand at the state level the federal Voting Rights Act?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

4. Do you support the statutory presumptive awarding of attorney’s fees to prevailing plaintiffs brought under state civil rights laws?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

5. Do you support amending the Access to Public Records Act to mirror the federal Freedom of Information Act’s provision for waiving or reducing search and copy fees when “furnishing the information is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester?”

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: No
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

6. Do you support allowing local and state police to collaborate with immigration officials under so-called 287(g) agreements?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: No
Cynthia Armour Coyne: No
Sabina Matos: No
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: No

7. Do you believe Rhode Islanders should have the right to know when governmental decisions that directly impact them are being made using artificial intelligence?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

8. Do you support passage of legislation requiring a parent or guardian to be present before police can question a juvenile?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

9. Do you support legislation that would bar, or restrict without parental consent, access by minors to social media platforms?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: No "yes/no" response, see "additional comments"
Cynthia Armour Coyne: No
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

10. Do you support strengthening the Homeless Bill of Rights to require at least a few weeks’ notice before the dismantling of homeless encampments by police?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

11. Do you support passage of legislation strengthening protections for health-related data that could infer a person’s reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare status?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

12. Do you support passage of a state constitutional amendment that would establish a legal right to an adequate, equitable and meaningful public education?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: Yes
Sabina Matos: Yes
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: Yes

13. Do you support the reduction of state funding for school resource officers and a focus instead on increased counseling and mental health support services in schools?

Susan (Sue) AnderBois: Yes
Cynthia Armour Coyne: No
Sabina Matos: No "yes/no" response, see "additional comments"
Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong: No

We received responses from candidates Kim Ahern, Keith Hoffmann, and Jason Knight. We did not receive responses from Joseph Solomon, Jr. or Alan Gordon.

1. Do you support the passage of legislation that would set limits on the use of “automated license plate reader” surveillance technology by law enforcement?

Kim Ahern: Yes
Keith Hoffmann: Yes
Jason P. Knight: Yes

2. Do you support reinstatement of a law mandating that police collect data on traffic stops and searches and providing for an independent analysis of that data to examine for racial disparities?

Kim Ahern: Yes
Keith Hoffmann: Yes
Jason P. Knight: Yes

3. Do you support passage of comprehensive legislation that would codify and expand at the state level the Federal Voting Rights Act?

Kim Ahern: Yes
Keith Hoffmann: Yes
Jason P. Knight: Yes

4. Do you support the statutory presumptive awarding of attorney’s fees to prevailing plaintiffs in lawsuits brought under state civil rights laws?

Kim Ahern: Yes
Keith Hoffmann: Yes
Jason P. Knight: Yes

5. Do you support amending the Access to Public Records Act to mirror the federal Freedom of Information Act’s provision for waiving or reducing search and copy fees when “furnishing the information is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester?”

Kim Ahern: Yes
Keith Hoffmann: Yes
Jason P. Knight: Yes

6. Do you support local and state police collaboration with immigration officials under so-called 287(g) agreements?

Kim Ahern: No
Keith Hoffmann: No
Jason P. Knight: No

7. Do you believe Rhode Islanders should have the right to know when governmental decisions that directly impact them are being made using artificial intelligence?

Kim Ahern: Yes
Keith Hoffmann: Yes
Jason P. Knight: Yes

8. Do you support passage of legislation requiring a parent or guardian to be present before police can question a juvenile?

Kim Ahern: Yes
Keith Hoffmann: Yes
Jason P. Knight: Yes

9. Do you support passage of legislation banning the imposition of a life without parole sentence for an individual under 21 years of age?

Kim Ahern: No "yes/no" response, see "additional comments"
Keith Hoffmann: No
Jason P. Knight: Yes

10. Do you support passage of legislation strengthening protections for health-related data that could infer a person’s reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare status?

Kim Ahern: Yes
Keith Hoffmann: Yes
Jason P. Knight: Yes

11. Do you support the General Assembly’s action this session that made misdemeanors punishable by up to 364 days in prison, instead of one year, closing a loophole in federal immigration law?

Kim Ahern: Yes
Keith Hoffmann: Yes
Jason P. Knight: Yes

Secretary Gregg M. Amore is running unopposed.

1. Do you support passage of comprehensive legislation that would codify and expand at the state level the federal Voting Rights Act?

Gregg M. Amore: Yes

2. Do you support amending the Access to Public Records Act to mirror the federal Freedom of Information Act’s provision for waiving or reducing search and copy fees when “furnishing the information is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester?”

Gregg M. Amore: Yes

3. “Prison gerrymandering” is a term given to the practice of counting inmates, for purposes of drawing voting districts, as residents of their place of incarceration, rather than their home address from which they otherwise must vote. Do you support legislation that would eliminate prison gerrymandering in Rhode Island?

Gregg M. Amore: Yes

4. Any voter who goes to the wrong polling place on election day is given a provisional ballot, but only their votes for federal office are counted. Do you support legislation that would provide for counting votes cast on provisional ballots for all offices for which the voter is legally eligible to vote?

Gregg M. Amore: Yes

5. Do you support a constitutional amendment allowing for same day voter registration?

Gregg M. Amore: Yes

6. Do you support requiring major public bodies to livestream and record their meetings and post their agenda packets online?

Gregg M. Amore: Yes

7. Do you support requiring major public bodies to allow for remote public participation at their meetings as well?

Gregg M. Amore: Yes

8. Do you support protecting the identity of transgender individuals who have changed their names on voting documents?

Gregg M. Amore: Yes

9. Do you support the statutory presumptive awarding of attorney’s fees to prevailing plaintiffs in lawsuits brought under state civil rights laws?

Gregg M. Amore: Yes

1. Do you support the passage of an ordinance that would set limits on the use of “automated license plate reader” surveillance technology by the police department?

David Morales: Yes
Brett Smiley: Did not respond to individual questions, but provided a general statement. Please see "additional comments."

2. Do you support cancelling or not renewing the city’s contract with Flock Safety?

David Morales: Yes
Brett Smiley: Did not respond to individual questions, but provided a general statement. Please see "additional comments."

3. Do you support increases in the city’s surveillance infrastructure, such as with additional red-light cameras/block the box/speed cameras/noise cameras?

David Morales: No
Brett Smiley: Did not respond to individual questions, but provided a general statement. Please see "additional comments."

4. Do you support passage of an ordinance mandating that police collect data on traffic stops and searches and providing for an independent analysis of that data to examine racial disparities?

David Morales: Yes
Brett Smiley: Did not respond to individual questions, but provided a general statement. Please see "additional comments."

5. Do you support the passage of an ordinance that would set limits on the use of the Providence Real Time Crime Center by the police department?

David Morales: Yes
Brett Smiley: Did not respond to individual questions, but provided a general statement. Please see "additional comments."

6. Do you support the reduction of state and city funding for school resource officers and a focus instead on increased counseling and mental health support services in schools?

David Morales: Yes
Brett Smiley: Did not respond to individual questions, but provided a general statement. Please see "additional comments."

7. Do you support the city ordinance that restricts the number of students who can occupy a rental dwelling in Providence?

David Morales: No "yes/no" response.
Brett Smiley: Did not respond to individual questions, but provided a general statement. Please see "additional comments."

8. Do you support the passage of an ordinance requiring a parent or guardian to be present before police can question a juvenile?

David Morales: Yes
Brett Smiley: Did not respond to individual questions, but provided a general statement. Please see "additional comments."