Rhode Island ballot measure · November 3, 2026
Rhode Island Economic Development Bond, explained
$100 million for industrial sites and growth industries. A ballot measure is a yes-or-no question put directly to voters — no candidate is involved, and the wording on the ballot is the wording that becomes law. This page shows that wording first, then what it actually changes.
The official wordingWhat appears on the ballot. Everything below explains it.
"Shall the action of the general assembly, by an act passed at the January 2026 session, authorizing the issuance of bonds, refunding bonds, and temporary notes of the State of Rhode Island for the capital projects and in the amount with respect to each such project listed below be approved, and the issuance of bonds, refunding bonds, and/or temporary notes authorized in accordance with the provisions of said act?" (3) Economic Development — $100,000,000 Approval of this question will allow the State to issue general obligation bonds, refunding bonds, and/or temporary notes in an amount not to exceed one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) to fund industrial facilities infrastructure improvements for economic development purposes to fund site development and growth industry infrastructure, to be allocated as follows: (a) Site Development — $55,000,000. Provides fifty-five million dollars ($55,000,000) for land acquisition or assembly, environmental remediation, infrastructure and utility installation, site preparation or development, and project investments. Eligible uses include, but are not limited to, large-scale industrial site development to create pad-ready locations and/or facilities, infrastructure improvements and investments within the Quonset Business Park, and land acquisition, preparation, and project investments within the I-195 District. (b) Growth Industry Infrastructure — $45,000,000. Provides forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000) for infrastructure, facilities, projects, and investments that support Rhode Island's ocean, defense, life sciences, data analytics and related industries. Eligible uses include, but are not limited to, water-based test ranges and onshore ocean or defense-related innovation/production facilities, as well as facilities, projects, and investments that advance businesses and job growth in the life sciences.
What it actually means
This asks for $100 million to prepare land and infrastructure for industry. Just over half, $55 million, is for buying and readying industrial sites — clearing contamination, laying utilities, making "pad-ready" locations, with the Quonset Business Park and the I-195 District in Providence named as examples. The other $45 million goes to infrastructure for industries the state is trying to grow: ocean and defence work, life sciences and data analytics. It funds the groundwork for private investment rather than the investment itself.
If you vote YES
- The state may issue up to $100 million in general obligation bonds, refunding bonds or temporary notes for industrial infrastructure and economic development.
- $55 million goes to site development — land acquisition or assembly, environmental remediation, utilities, site preparation and project investments, including at Quonset Business Park and in the I-195 District.
- $45 million goes to growth industry infrastructure for ocean, defence, life sciences and data analytics work, including water-based test ranges and onshore innovation or production facilities.
- The eligible uses are written as examples rather than a fixed project list, so the agencies administering the money have latitude within the stated purposes.
- The debt is repaid from state general revenue over the life of the bonds.
If you vote NO
- The bonds are not issued, and no new state money is committed to preparing industrial sites or growth industry infrastructure.
- Quonset Business Park and the I-195 District continue on their existing funding, including bonds voters approved in earlier years.
- Rhode Island's constraints on industrial land — little of it zoned for industry, much restricted, and a large share lacking roads, sewer, broadband or power — remain as they are.
- The other four bond questions are unaffected.
The numbers that matter
- Amount authorised
- Up to $100,000,000
- Split
- $55M site development; $45M growth industry infrastructure
- Named locations
- Quonset Business Park and the I-195 District
Article 5 of House Bill 7127, the fiscal 2027 state budget
Article 5 of House Bill 7127
Cited in the proposition as examples of eligible site development
What each side says0 for, 0 against — quoted, not summarised
Why supporters say YES
We found none published in the sources reviewed.
Why opponents say NO
We found none published in the sources reviewed.
What's genuinely uncertain
- No argument is shown here for either side. Gov. Dan McKee and the Partnership for Rhode Island back the bond; no campaign registered in support or opposition as of July 2026 and no organised case against it was located. Rather than print the case for with nothing against it, this page shows neither.
- Because the eligible uses are stated as non-exhaustive examples, which specific sites and projects get the money would be decided after the vote.
- No official estimate of jobs created, private investment attracted, or total cost with interest accompanies the question.
- The Secretary of State assigns the ballot numbers for these questions, and those had not been published when this was written.
The bottom line
Whether to borrow $100 million to make industrial land usable and build infrastructure for ocean, defence and life sciences work — groundwork the state argues private investment will not do on its own, against debt for projects not yet named.
One neutral sentence describing the tradeoff — not a recommendation.
Sources (3)The numbers in the text above link here
- 1House Bill 7127, Article 5 — Relating to Capital Development Program, Rhode Island General Assembly — webserver.rilegislature.gov
- 2Rhode Island Economic and Infrastructure Development Bond Measure (2026) — Ballotpedia — ballotpedia.org
- 3Rhode Island voters will weigh in on five bond issues in Nov. 2026 included in the state's budget — Ballotpedia News — news.ballotpedia.org
Checking it against the official text
The Rhode Island Department of State publishes the certified measures and, in most states, an official voter guide with fiscal notes. That is the authoritative version. Everything here is an explanation of it, not a substitute for it.
Confirm this with the official source
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Rhode Island Department of State.
Other measures on the Rhode Island ballot
- Higher Education Facilities Bond — $275 million for university and college buildings
- Housing and Homeownership Bond — $120 million for affordable housing
- Cultural Economy Bond — $50 million for a state history centre and preservation grants
- Green Economy Bond — $55 million for resilience, water quality and recreation