Result

Democratic incumbent Rep. Deborah A. Fellela (D-RI) won reelection to Rhode Island's State House District 43 on Nov. 3, running without a named opponent on the ballot. Unofficial election results show Fellela received 3,415 votes, or 94.6%, while write-in candidates received 194 votes, or 5.4%. A total of 3,609 votes were recorded in the contest. ​

Fellela received 3,221 more votes than the combined write-in total, a margin of approximately 89.2 percentage points. The figures are based on unofficial Rhode Island Board of Elections returns reported as of Nov. 7 and remain subject to certification.

Candidates and platforms

Fellela was the only named candidate on the general election ballot. The Rhode Island Elections Project reported that Fellela said she would work with the new governor on Rhode Island's housing crisis. The Johnston Sun Rise reported that affordable housing has a bad reputation despite the need for housing among younger and older residents.

Fellela has also expressed reservations about the scale and location of proposed affordable housing developments. In March 2025, the Johnston Sun Rise reported that she supported Johnston's use of eminent domain to acquire land designated for a proposed 252-unit affordable housing development. Although Fellela acknowledged the need for affordable, low-income, and senior housing, she defended the town's decision, citing concerns about the potential strain on police, fire, and school services.

In April 2025, the newspaper reported that Fellela introduced legislation to establish different affordable housing requirements for smaller communities. She argued that a uniform approach to housing development could disproportionately strain infrastructure and municipal services in smaller towns.

District and chamber

The race was for Rhode Island House District 43, which represents Johnston in Providence County. Fellela has held the seat since November 2006 and serves as senior deputy majority leader in the Rhode Island House. She is also first vice chair of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, second vice chair of the House Conduct Committee and a member of the Labor and Oversight committees.

The seat was not open. Fellela was the incumbent seeking reelection, and her victory keeps District 43 under Democratic control. The election record's classification of the seat as open and its indication that no incumbent was running conflict with the Rhode Island General Assembly's official records and the general election results.

The supplied nationwide State House election tally lists 1,978 Democratic winners and 1,712 Republican winners. Democrats lead Republicans by 266, and their 1,978 victories account for approximately 53.5% of all 3,698 tallied winners. Six winners are listed as independents, while two others appear under separate party codes.

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