Rhode Island State Senate District 17
Tue, Nov 3 · Represented by Thomas Paolino Republican · Member list as of Oct 28
Nelly Evelyn BurdetteDemocraticThomas PaolinoRepublican · Incumbent10 years since first win
No published poll names both candidates.Last result · 2024 general: Thomas Paolino (R) 58.1, Cameron J. Deutsch (D) 41.9
Show all 4 candidates on the ballot
- Nelly Evelyn BurdetteDemocratic
- Thomas PaolinoIncumbentRepublican
- Jina Norma PetrarcaIndependent
- John Douglas BarrIndependent
Showing major-party nominees, incumbents and candidates with 5%+ in the latest poll or comparable fundraising.
- Last election
- Thomas Paolino (Republican) won by 16.2 points, 2024
- On the 2026 ballot
- 4 candidates
Side by side
Left column: BurdetteRight column: Paolino
- Donor-based spectrum
- LiberalCentristConservativePaolinoNo published score for Burdette
- Races
- None listed
- Won 5 of 5
- Years since first win
- Not available
- 10
How these are counted
The spectrum is a published research score, not our rating. How this works. Wins and losses count the races in our results files, the same as each profile.
More about this race
Candidates on the ballot
- Nelly Evelyn BurdetteDemocratic
- Thomas PaolinoIncumbentRepublican
- Jina Norma PetrarcaIndependent
- John Douglas BarrIndependent
Source: vote.sos.ri.gov, dated Oct 28
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- Republican
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- More than one party
- No member listed
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Official results for Rhode Island
History (29 elections for this seat)
- Votes for listed candidates
- 15,017
- Election day
- November 5, 2024
- District map
- Older district map (2022 to 2024)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2024, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanThomas PaolinoWon Republican 8,72658.1% DemocraticCameron J. Deutsch Democratic 6,29141.9% - Votes for listed candidates
- 11,355
- Election day
- November 8, 2022
- District map
- Older district map (2022)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2022, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanThomas PaolinoWon(incumbent) Republican 5,31446.8% IndependentJohn W. Lyle Jr. Independent 3,17828.0% DemocraticCameron Joseph Deutsch Democratic 2,85225.1% Scattered write-ins Write-in 110.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 15,998
- Election day
- November 3, 2020
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2020, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanThomas PaolinoWon(incumbent) Republican 9,46059.1% DemocraticJohn Douglas Barr II Democratic 6,51240.7% Scattered write-ins Write-in 260.2% - Votes for listed candidates
- 11,858
- Election day
- November 6, 2018
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2018, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanThomas PaolinoWon(incumbent) Republican 5,99850.6% DemocraticDennis Lavallee Democratic 5,86049.4% - Votes for listed candidates
- 14,201
- Election day
- November 8, 2016
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2016, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanThomas PaolinoWon Republican 7,22450.9% DemocraticJina N. Petrarca-Karampetsos Democratic 6,94248.9% Scattered write-ins Write-in 350.3% - Votes for listed candidates
- 10,206
- Election day
- November 4, 2014
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2014, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share IndependentEdward J. OneillWon(incumbent) Independent 6,34462.2% DemocraticKeven A. McKenna Democratic 3,86237.8% - Votes for listed candidates
- 13,232
- Election day
- November 6, 2012
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2012, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share IndependentEdward J. OneillWon(incumbent) Independent 7,58857.4% DemocraticJohn J. Cullen Democratic 4,77636.1% IndependentDerek M. Meiklejohn Independent 8426.4% Scattered write-ins Write-in 260.2% - Votes for listed candidates
- 9,757
- Election day
- November 2, 2010
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2010, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share IndependentEdward J. OneillWon(incumbent) Independent 5,31654.5% DemocraticLinda Butera Buteranoble Democratic 4,44145.5% - Votes for listed candidates
- 12,753
- Election day
- November 4, 2008
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2008, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share IndependentEdward J. OneillWon Independent 6,77353.1% DemocraticJoseph A. Montalbano(incumbent) Democratic 5,98046.9% - Votes for listed candidates
- 10,826
- Election day
- November 7, 2006
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2006, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticJoseph A. MontalbanoWon(incumbent) Democratic 7,15066.0% IndependentJames B. Spooner Independent 3,67634.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 12,050
- Election day
- November 2, 2004
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2004, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticJoseph A. MontalbanoWon(incumbent) Democratic 8,01766.5% RepublicanArthur H. Fletcher Republican 4,03333.5% - Votes for listed candidates
- 6,023
- Election day
- November 5, 2002
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2002, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticJoseph A. MontalbanoWon(incumbent) Democratic 6,023100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 6,373
- Election day
- November 7, 2000
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 2000, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticWilliam A. WalaskaWon(incumbent) Democratic 6,373100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 6,729
- Election day
- November 3, 1998
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1998, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticWilliam A. WalaskaWon(incumbent) Democratic 4,94173.4% RepublicanRaymond T. McKay Republican 1,78826.6% - Votes for listed candidates
- 7,768
- Election day
- November 5, 1996
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1996, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticWilliam A. WalaskaWon(incumbent) Democratic 5,35368.9% RepublicanSteven Archer Republican 2,41531.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 7,666
- Election day
- November 8, 1994
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1994, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticWilliam A. WalaskaWon Democratic 4,42457.7% RepublicanSteven Archer Republican 3,24242.3% - Votes for listed candidates
- 9,434
- Election day
- November 3, 1992
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1992, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticThomas A. LynchWon(incumbent) Democratic 4,37946.4% RepublicanJude Plante Republican 3,09532.8% IndependentJohn T. Kirby Independent 1,96020.8% - Votes for listed candidates
- 5,420
- Election day
- November 6, 1990
- District map
- Older district map (1983 to 1991)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1990, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticThomas A. LynchWon(incumbent) Democratic 5,420100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 5,091
- Election day
- November 8, 1988
- District map
- Older district map (1983 to 1991)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1988, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticThomas A. LynchWon(incumbent) Democratic 5,091100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 6,034
- Election day
- November 4, 1986
- District map
- Older district map (1983 to 1991)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1986, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticThomas A. LynchWon(incumbent) Democratic 4,01566.5% RepublicanBarbara J. Caniglia Republican 2,01933.5% - Votes for listed candidates
- 8,200
- Election day
- November 6, 1984
- District map
- Older district map (1983 to 1991)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1984, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticThomas A. LynchWon Democratic 4,69057.2% RepublicanWilliam Pearson(incumbent) Republican 3,51042.8% - Votes for listed candidates
- 2,191
- Election day
- June 21, 1983
- Type
- Special election
- District map
- Older district map (1983 to 1991)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1983, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanWilliam PearsonWon Republican 1,26057.5% DemocraticThomas A. Lynch(incumbent) Democratic 93142.5% - Votes for listed candidates
- 7,488
- Election day
- November 4, 1980
- District map
- Older district map (1974 to 1982)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1980, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticThomas A. LynchWon(incumbent) Democratic 5,60374.8% RepublicanJohn McDonald Republican 1,88525.2% - Votes for listed candidates
- 6,089
- Election day
- November 7, 1978
- District map
- Older district map (1974 to 1982)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1978, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticThomas A. LynchWon(incumbent) Democratic 4,50474.0% RepublicanHartley L. Bicknell Republican 1,58526.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 5,015
- Election day
- November 2, 1976
- District map
- Older district map (1974 to 1982)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1976, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticThomas A. LynchWon(incumbent) Democratic 5,015100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 6,373
- Election day
- November 4, 1974
- District map
- Older district map (1974 to 1982)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1974, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticThomas A. LynchWon Democratic 4,85776.2% RepublicanWilliam W. Morrison Republican 1,51623.8% - Votes for listed candidates
- 9,681
- Election day
- November 7, 1972
- District map
- Older district map (1966 to 1973)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1972, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticRaymond P. WoodcockWon Democratic 6,16863.7% RepublicanEdward John Mulligan Republican 3,51336.3% - Votes for listed candidates
- 7,748
- Election day
- November 3, 1970
- District map
- Older district map (1966 to 1973)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1970, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticEugene J. McCaffrey Jr.Won(incumbent) Democratic 5,80775.0% RepublicanAnthony A. Pusateri Republican 1,94125.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 8,486
- Election day
- November 5, 1968
- District map
- Older district map (1966 to 1973)
Rhode Island Senate District 17, 1968 to 2024, 1968, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticEugene J. McCaffrey Jr.Won Democratic 5,62666.3% RepublicanWarren L. Salter Republican 2,86033.7%
- 2024: MEDSL 2024 official precinct returns (individual_states zips), retrieved Oct 28, 2026. Compiled by MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL) from official returns; not an official source
- 1968 to 2022: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse), retrieved Oct 28, 2026. Compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns; not an official source
Last contest in this district on file: 2024.
Download and cite
Cite this page
Election Wrld. (2026). Rhode Island State Senate District 17, election results 1968 to 2024. https://www.electionwrld.com/ri/senate/17. Retrieved October 30, 2026.
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Sources
Sources: Census TIGERweb Legislative MapServer (120th CDs layer 0, 119th CDs layer 4, 2026 SLD upper layer 1 and lower layer 2) (US Census Bureau, public domain), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open Civic Data division identifiers (census_autogenerated us_sldl/us_sldu and openstates state files); also (sld-recent.json): Open Civic Data division identifiers (country-us) (CC0 (repository); also (sld-recent.json): CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open States people (current) CSVs (CC0-1.0 (Open States people data)), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Open States volunteers and staff (rosters from state legislature sites) from official returns, not an official source; MEDSL 2024 official precinct returns (individual_states zips) (Not stated in the GitHub repository (an earlier label said "MIT (repo)", which the repository does not support). MEDSL's Harvard Dataverse records are CC0 1.0, but these GitHub files were not checksum-matched to the Dataverse files, so CC0 is not claimed for them.), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL) from official returns, not an official source; State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse) (CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns, not an official source.
District id: ocd-division/country:us/state:ri/sldu:17
DataState data (JSON)Sources: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse), DIME (ODC-BY), MEDSL 2024 official precinct returnsData as of Oct 28, 2026