To the editor:

I am finally able to take an easy breath now that it appears that our American democracy can once again achieve a peaceful transition of our presidency. For many months, up to and after the election, the current president threatened this foundation of our heritage. As we reflect on this newly achieved post-election peace, we must give thanks for the steadfast integrity and competence of our bi-partisan, but neutral, electoral process leaders and volunteers including local boards of canvassers, boards of election and secretaries of state. Without their impartial dedication, we might have lost our way or worse.

Here in Rhode Island, we should recognize the accomplishments of our own Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea. Secretary Gorbea came into office in 2014 with a dual-faceted mission of improving access to the ballot for all Rhode Islanders and maintaining election integrity. She had tremendous success in both regards. Faced with the most contentious election of our generation, in the middle of a pandemic and facing unprecedented disinformation efforts to deter and discourage participation, Rhode Island voters responded in record numbers; broadly taking advantage of all the newly available and improved voting opportunities. About 40 percent of our voters used mail-in ballots, another 30 percent voted via the early in-person process and about 30 percent voted in the traditional manner, on Election Day at their local polling place. What a beautiful display of democracy in action!

By law, all of Rhode Island’s general office holders are term limited, and Secretary Gorbea must give up the Secretary of State’s office at the end of 2022. I hope that Secretary Gorbea will consider taking up another election challenge, perhaps to replace the also term-limited governor. Although we hope that, with vaccines, we will have put the COVID-19 threat behind us by the end of 2021, the economic situation in Rhode Island will likely remain distressed for an extended period. We need proven, successful leadership, like Secretary Gorbea’s, to restore our pre-pandemic vitality. 

I recently began a small business in Rhode Island and was thrilled with the Secretary of State’s Business Portal that provided easy guidance through the entire process. Secretary Gorbea has also led efforts to increase government transparency across all state departments and agencies and improved the registration of and disclosure by Rhode Island lobbyists.

With leadership, transparency, integrity and wide-spread informed resident participation, our government, in the words of Abraham Lincoln. “of the people, by the people and for the people, shall not perish.” I hope that we will never experience another year like 2020, in which so much that we have long taken for granted was threatened.

Richard Godfrey

Barrington