2024 saw the hottest day in recorded history. But it was also the year that renewable energy output surpassed 30 percent of our electricity generation total. It’s a time of great peril, but also progress. In Rhode Island, we enjoy broad public acknowledgement of climate change and support for meeting its challenges. Still, we have to keep the pressure on. Climate misinformation is creeping into our state, and legislative progress to meet our Act on Climate goals has been slow. We need politicians in office who will take the climate crisis seriously, and take action.

That’s why Climate Action Rhode Island has thoroughly vetted state and local candidates for office to determine who are our state’s climate champions, those lawmakers who are going to support the policies we need to mitigate and adapt to climate change. CARI volunteers partnered with Clean Water Action to develop a survey that was circulated among candidates for office. In key races, local volunteers also interviewed candidates to gain a deeper understanding of their views on the issues and policy plans. Voting records and campaign websites and messaging were also examined before consideration by the CARI Leadership Team. The candidates endorsed here represent our first round. Check back for more endorsements as the primary and general elections approach!

We’ve worked hard to help make your voting decision easier. If you are a Rhode Island voter and climate change is an important issue to you, then please consider these endorsements when you head to the polls on Tuesday, September 10 and Tuesday, November 5.

Use this page to look up your district numbers and polling location.