Election day for Providence’s Ward 2 city council seat is fast approaching.
On Tuesday, December 2nd, Jill Davidson, winner of November 4’s Democratic Primary, will face Brown University student Axel Brito, who ran uncontested as the Republican nominee. With just a few days until voters head to the polls, it’s essential for residents to understand where each candidate stands and how they envision the future of the city.
Brown Votes – a non-partisan, university-wide initiative aimed at fostering democratic participation – reached out to both Jill Davidson and Axel Brito to ask each candidate first-hand about how they plan to work with the rest of the city council to find solutions to these pressing matters. While Davidson responded to our interview request, Brito did not. As a result, our discussion of Brito’s positions relies on his prior public appearances and interviews.
Affordability remains one of the largest issues facing the Providence community. Providence experienced the highest rent increase in the nation from March 2023 to March 2024, with average rents rising by 16%. In the following year, Providence recorded the second-highest increase in the country. HousingWorks RI also released its 2025 report, where it revealed that Rhode Islanders earning the state’s median income are unable to afford rent in any city or town in Rhode Island. While the state prices of homes and rent have gone up by 65 percent and 60 percent, respectively, wages have only grown by 29 percent. As this problem continues to escalate, candidates Davidson and Brito have two different paths toward a solution.
In our interview with Davidson, she noted that Ward 2 is the wealthiest of the wards in Providence. In tandem, she reflected that she “want[s] to be very thoughtful about that” when considering resource allocation for Providence, but will still have “a balance of a lot of empathy in making sure resources are spread equitably [while] still being pretty fierce when advocating for the neighborhood.” When asked about plans for housing development, Davidson expressed that her plans would “align with the city’s comprehensive plan,” including building more affordable family housing to “serve the missing middle”. She later offered a pro-rent-stabilization stance rather than rent control, but addressed that this issue is complex and cannot be applied to all housing types.
When asked about the significant unfunded health care obligation for retirees and an underfunded pension plan, she stated that while she did not have a solution at this time, she will be meeting with several colleagues in the upcoming weeks regarding this issue.
Brito, a self-proclaimed “fiscal conservative,” advocates for a rent cap and a reduction in property taxes for homes valued under $2 million. He also challenged Mayor Smiley’s management of the budget declaring that the city has been “buying stuff that’s completely unnecessary.” Brito also denounced the current Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreements the city has in place, voicing that, “We can’t keep raising property taxes forever just because institutions like Brown, RISD and other nonprofit organizations get away with abusing that status.” At Brown Vote’s October 22nd candidate forum, Brito advocated for increased social welfare services and offered measured support for rent stabilization.
Public education also remains at the forefront of public consciousness, especially in regards to the Providence Public School District (PPSD) being returned to city control in 2026 and beyond. Candidate Brito, when speaking to the Herald about bringing the Providence Public School District back under local control, expressed a desire for “parents, teachers (and) alumni (to) be on that school board, and be able to represent themselves and have actual power.” In the Ward 2 Candidate Forum, he expressed that Mayor Smiley had been derelict in improving public education.
Candidate Davidson, when asked how she would strengthen PPSD, provided several propositions, namely business intervention, family involvement, and reliable commitment. She states that, similarly to the 1980s and 1990s, Providence businesses should be encouraged to fund coalition-building on the Providence level, increasing external accountability around public school decisions. Additionally, Davidson stresses the importance of paid parent representation on competitive committees and federal funding to support low-income students, all in an effort to respect and include young people, their families, and their communities. Davidson adds that core stakeholder commitment, nonprofit experience, and teacher-led, community-driven endeavors is how we bolster our schools.
These candidates have also weighed in on climate policy in this election. Davidson has experience working for the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council and was endorsed by Climate Action Rhode Island. Both candidates have underscored the need to decrease dependency on cars and the need for more bike lanes. Davidson specifically mentioned in her interview with Brown Votes the need for bump-outs, a traffic-calming measure that extends a curb and sidewalk into the street. This, she said, will “give us the opportunity to put in more stormwater management systems, so we’re going to reduce our flooding and have more green around the city.”
Both candidates have also mentioned the need to improve RIPTA service in Providence. Brito emphasized recent cuts to service that have been “hugely detrimental to … people that need to get to work.” Davidson referred to public transportation in Providence as “anemic” and is planning to invest on the city level and to work with the state to improve what she called a “missed opportunity.” (RIPTA is run not by Providence, but by the state of Rhode Island). Davidson also acknowledged the work that the city has done so far, citing the “building decarbonization commitment” and saying, “I think we need to continue to push and expand on that.”
While Brito and Davidson largely align regarding climate and transportation issues facing Ward 2, the candidates differ vastly in their relationship with Brown University. As a current Brown student, Brito has been vocal about his profound distaste for the university, while Davidson, a Brown alumna herself, has made efforts to strengthen her relationship with the current student body. Furthermore, while Davidson has a concrete two-pronged approach to rent subsidization and subsequent affordability in Ward 2, prioritizing the construction of new housing and social housing, Brito emphasizes social welfare programs targeting homelessness and plans to halt the rise of property taxes.
With the election rapidly approaching, it is imperative that registered voters continue to stay up to date on the policies and practices of these two candidates. Brown Votes encourages everyone to conduct further research, make note of their assigned polling location, and create a plan to vote on election day, December 2.
Remember: the future of Providence depends on you!
Lillian Gale and Nihil Suthy are the Advocacy Chairs of Brown Votes, a University-wide, collective impact initiative committed to fostering democratic participation across campus and beyond. Alissa Kraus, Alexander Schramm, and Lily Luby are also officers of Brown Votes’ Advocacy Committee. As members of the Ward 2 community, they have a vested interest in ensuring that voters receive clear, unbiased coverage of the upcoming council race. They encourage all registered voters to learn more about their prospective councilmembers’ platforms and to make an informed, thoughtful choice on Election Day.
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