AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- MAIL BALLOTS (Allows early voting ballot application to be completed in person on an electronic poll pad. Voter then issued a ballot to be placed in a state-approved voting device.)

H7787

2026 -- H 7787
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LC005045
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- MAIL BALLOTS

Introduced By:
Representatives J. Brien, Corvese, Chippendale, Noret, and Hopkins

Date Introduced:
February 12, 2026

Referred To:
House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Sections 17-20-2.2 and 17-20-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-20 entitled
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"Mail Ballots" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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17-20-2.2. Requirements for validity of emergency mail ballots.
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(a) Any legally qualified elector of this state whose name appears upon the official voting
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list of the town or district of the city or town where the elector is so qualified is eligible to vote by
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emergency mail ballot according to this chapter. Within twenty (20) days or less prior to any
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election, the elector may obtain from the local board an application for an emergency mail ballot
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or may complete an emergency in-person mail ballot application on an electronic poll pad at the
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board of canvassers where the elector maintains his or her residence.
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(b) The emergency mail ballot application, when duly executed, shall be delivered in
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person or by mail so that it shall be received by the local board, or received electronically through
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the portal established by § 17-20-2.3, not later than four o’clock (4:00) p.m. on the last day
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preceding the date of the election.
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(c) The elector shall execute the emergency mail ballot application in accordance with the
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requirements of this chapter.
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(d) In addition to those requirements set forth elsewhere in this chapter, an emergency mail
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ballot, except those emergency mail ballots being cast pursuant to subsection (g) of this section, in
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order to be valid, must have been cast in conformance with the following procedures:
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(1) All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(1) shall be mailed to the elector at the

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state of Rhode Island address provided on the application by the office of the secretary of state, or
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delivered by the local board to a person presenting written authorization from the elector to receive
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the ballots, or cast in private at the local board of canvassers. In order to be valid, the voter must
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affix his or her signature on the certifying envelope containing a voted ballot. In order to be valid,
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all ballots sent to the elector at the board of canvassers must be voted in conformance with the
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provisions of § 17-20-14.2.
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(2) All applications for emergency mail ballots pursuant to § 17-20-2(2) must state under
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oath the name and location of the hospital, convalescent home, nursing home, or similar institution
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where the elector is confined. All mail ballots issued pursuant to this subdivision shall be delivered
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to the elector by the bipartisan pair of supervisors, appointed in conformance with this chapter, and
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shall be voted in conformance with the provisions of § 17-20-14.
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(3) All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(3) shall be mailed by the office of the
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secretary of state to the elector at an address provided by the elector on the application, or cast at
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the board of canvassers in the city or town where the elector maintains his or her voting residence.
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Any voter qualified to receive a mail ballot pursuant to § 17-20-2(3) shall also be entitled to cast a
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ballot pursuant to the provisions of United States Public Law 99-410, the Uniformed and Overseas
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Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).
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(4) All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(4) shall be cast at the board of canvassers
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in the city or town where the elector maintains his or her voting residence or mailed by the office
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of the secretary of state to the elector at the address within the United States provided by the elector
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on the application, or delivered to the voter by a person presenting written authorization by the
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voter to pick up the ballot. In order to be valid, the voter must affix his or her signature on all
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certifying envelopes containing a voted ballot. In order to be valid, all ballots sent to the elector at
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the board of canvassers must be voted in conformance with the provisions of § 17-20-14.2.
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(e) The secretary of state shall provide each of the several boards of canvassers with a
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sufficient number of mail ballots for their voting districts so that the local boards may provide the
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appropriate ballot or ballots to the applicants. It shall be the duty of each board of canvassers to
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process each emergency ballot application in accordance with this chapter, and it shall be the duty
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of each board to return to the secretary of state any ballots not issued immediately after each
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election.
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(f) Any person knowingly and willfully making a false application or certification, or
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knowingly and willfully aiding and abetting in the making of a false application or certification,
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shall be guilty of a felony and shall be subject to the penalties provided for in § 17-26-1.
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(g) An emergency mail ballot application may be completed in person using an electronic

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poll pad provided by the board of canvassers upon presentation by the voter of valid proof of
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identity pursuant to § 17-19-24.2. Upon completion of the poll pad application, the voter shall be
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provided with a ballot issued by the secretary of state and upon completion of the ballot by the
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voter, the voter shall place the ballot into the state-approved electronic voting device, provided by
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the board of elections and secured in accordance with a policy adopted by the board of elections.
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17-20-3. Definitions.
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(a) Wherever used in this chapter, every word importing only the masculine gender is
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construed to extend to, and include, females as well as males.
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(b) Whenever used in this chapter, “bipartisan pairs of supervisors” for primaries means a
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supervisor representing the endorsed candidates and a supervisor representing a majority of
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unendorsed candidates, and for nonpartisan elections and primaries means nonpartisan pairs of
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supervisors.
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(c) Wherever used in this chapter, “employed outside of the United States” includes any
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person who is:
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(1) Employed by any agency, department, or division of the United States government and
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who, by reason of that employment, resides outside of the continental United States;
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(2) Employed outside the territorial limits of the United States; or
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(3) A spouse or dependent residing with persons so employed.
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(d) Wherever used in this chapter, “services intimately connected with military operations”
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includes members of religious groups or welfare agencies assisting members of the armed forces
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who are officially attached to and serving with the armed forces and their spouses and dependents,
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and the spouses and dependents of members of the armed forces and of the merchant marine;
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provided, that the spouses and dependents are residing outside of the state with the members of the
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armed forces, merchant marine, or members of the religious or welfare agencies.
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(e) Whenever a signature is required by a voter in this chapter, “signature” also means the
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voter’s mark if the person is unable to sign their name because of blindness, disability, or inability
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to read or write, or by affixing the voter’s signature by a person providing assistance to the voter in
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accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
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(f) Whenever used in this chapter, “bipartisan” means not of the same recognized political
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party.
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(g) Whenever used in this chapter, “emergency” voting pursuant to § 17-20-2.2(g) shall be
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construed to mean “early” voting.
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SECTION 2. Chapter 17-19 of the General Laws entitled "Conduct of Election and Voting
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Equipment, and Supplies" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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17-19-24.4. Early voting.

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(a) An early voting ballot application may be completed in person using an electronic poll
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pad provided by the board of canvassers, upon presentation by the voter of valid proof of identity,
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pursuant to § 17-19-24.2. Upon the completion of the poll pad application, the voter shall be
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provided with a ballot issued by the secretary of state and upon completion of the ballot by the
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voter, the voter shall place the ballot into the state-approved electronic voting device provided by
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the board of elections and secured in accordance with the policy adopted by the board of elections.
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(b) As practicable, all the voter and election protections and procedures, provided by
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chapter 19 of title 17 on election day, shall govern the twenty (20) day early voting period.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- MAIL BALLOTS
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This act would allow an early voting ballot applications to be completed in person using
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an electronic poll pad provided by the board of canvassers with proof of voter identity. A voter
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would then be provided with a secretary of state-issued ballot to be placed into the state-approved
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electronic voting device. All voter and election protections and procedures would govern the twenty
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(20) day early voting period.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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