Biden and Trump win respective primaries in Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Tuesday was the presidential primary election in Rhode Island.

A tally of the results can be found on ABC 6’s website as ballots were counted across the Ocean State.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump unsurprisingly emerged as the victors of their respective parties, with AP calling the races shortly after polls closed.

Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore said his office was expecting a low turnout for the primary with the race all but wrapped up prior to Tuesday — Biden and Trump were already declared as the presumptive nominees.

“Because the results are already in, we know who the nominees are going to be for the Democratic and Republican parties,” Amore said. “So we understand that there’s not excitement around this primary.”

However, there some voters showed up to the polls to simply send a message with their ballots by voting uncommitted to protest vote.

“It’s a chance for people to express themselves, and that’s what voting is,” Amore explained. “It’s a First Amendment right to express yourself in the form of a vote.”