Nihil Suthy

On September 9, 2026, the City of Providence will host primary elections for the office of mayor. These elections will decide the candidates on the ballot for the general election in November and ultimately shape the way Providence will be governed for the next four years. The city of Providence has a strong-mayor form of government, meaning the mayor functions as the city’s executive with the city council as the legislative body.

On Aug. 1, Ward 2 Councilwoman Helen Anthony announced her resignation from office, a year before her term’s expiration. To fill her now-vacant seat — which encompasses the majority of Brown’s campus and parts of College Hill — Providence will hold a special primary election on Nov. 4 and a special general election on Dec. 2. The registration deadline is fast approaching, with voters required to be registered by Oct. 5.

The general election is on everyone’s mind, and anticipation here on campus is rising exponentially. This was as evident as ever when we were out tabling with Brown Votes these past few weeks. Many students took initiative, coming up to us to learn how they could register. These same students brought their friends over to help them register to vote. Inquisitive peers asked us how requesting an absentee ballot works if they were registered in a different state.