Voters to decide if Providence councilman can keep seat

May 1, 2017 9:00 am

By: News Staff

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A longtime Providence councilman will soon find out if his constituents want him to stay in office.

Residents of the city’s Ward 3 will vote Tuesday whether to retain Kevin Jackson as their representative on the city council.

The Democrat was indicted in July on charges he embezzled more than $125,000 from the Providence Cobras youth track-and-field team. He has denied the charges.

He’s also accused of misusing campaign funds.

More than 2,300 voters in Jackson’s neighborhood signed a recall petition following his arrest. Jackson has represented a portion of the city’s East Side since 1995.

Residents of the ward include some prominent state leaders. Gov. Gina Raimondo, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline and Treasurer Seth Magaziner, all Democrats, told WPRI-TV they plan to vote, but haven’t said how they’ll vote.