AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- MAIL BALLOTS (Requires verification of an applicant's date of birth and either a Rhode Island driver's license number or state identification number on all applications seeking mail ballots and emergency mail ballots.)

S2486

2026 -- S 2486
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LC003291
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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:
Senators E Morgan, Rogers, de la Cruz, Paolino, Dimitri, Thompson, and
Patalano

Date Introduced:
February 06, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Sections 17-20-2.1 and 17-20-2.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-20
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entitled "Mail Ballots" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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17-20-2.1. Requirements for validity of mail ballot and mail ballot applications.
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(a)
(1)
Any legally qualified elector of this state whose name appears upon the official
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voting list of the city, town, or district of the city or town where the elector is qualified, and who
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desires to avail himself or herself of the right granted to him or her by the Constitution and declared
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in this chapter, may obtain from the local board in the city or town a form prepared by the secretary
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of state as prescribed in this section, setting forth the elector’s application for a mail ballot or may
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apply online in accordance with § 17-20-2.3.
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(2) The application shall include proof of the voter's date of birth and a Rhode Island
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driver's license number or state identification number.
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(b) Whenever any person is unable to sign their name because of blindness, disability, or
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inability to read or write, the voter or their assistant shall mark a box to indicate the voter cannot
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sign due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write and include the full name, residence
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address, signature, and optionally the telephone number and e-mail address, of the person who
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provided assistance to the voter on a form provided by the secretary of state. The representation
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relating to the voter’s inability to sign shall be made under the pains and penalties of perjury.
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(c) To receive a ballot in the mail, an elector must submit an application in person or by
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mail, so that it is received by the local board, or received electronically through the portal

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established by § 17-20-2.3, not later than four o’clock (4:00) p.m. on the twenty-first (21st) day
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before the day of any election referred to in § 17-20-1. In those cases where an application to receive
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a mail ballot is postmarked by the twenty-first (21st) day before the date of an election and received
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not later than eighteen (18) days before the date of an election, the application shall be considered
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received on or prior to the last day to apply for a mail ballot.
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(d) In addition to those requirements set forth elsewhere in this chapter, a mail ballot, 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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Rhode Island address provided by the elector on the application. In order to be valid, the voter must
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affix their signature on all certifying envelopes containing a voted ballot.
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(2) All applications for mail ballots pursuant to § 17-20-2(2) must state under oath the
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name and location of the hospital, convalescent home, nursing home, or similar institution where
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the elector is confined. All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(2) shall be delivered to the
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elector at the hospital, convalescent home, nursing home, or similar institution where the elector is
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confined.
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(3) All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(3) shall be mailed to the address provided
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by the elector on the application or sent to the board of canvassers in the city or town where the
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elector maintains their voting residence. In order to be valid, the voter must affix their signature on
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the certifying envelope containing voted ballots. Any voter qualified to receive a mail ballot
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pursuant to § 17-20-2(3) shall also be entitled to cast a ballot pursuant to the provisions of United
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States Public Law 99-410, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).
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(4) All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(4) may be mailed to the elector at the
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address within the United States provided by the elector on the application or sent to the board of
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canvassers in the city or town where the elector maintains their voting residence. In order to be
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valid, the voter must affix their signature on all certifying envelopes containing a voted ballot. In
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order to be valid, all ballots sent to the elector at the board of canvassers, must be voted in
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conformance with the provisions of § 17-20-14.2.
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(e) 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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(f) In no way shall a mail ballot application be disqualified if the voter’s circumstances
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change between the time of making the application and voting their mail ballot as long as the voter
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remains qualified to receive a mail ballot under the provisions of § 17-20-2. The local board of
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canvassers shall provide the state board of elections with written notification of any change in

LC003291 - Page 2 of 5
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circumstances to a mail ballot voter.
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17-20-2.2. Requirements for validity of emergency mail ballots.
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(a)
(1)
Any legally qualified elector of this state whose name appears upon the official
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voting list of the town or district of the city or town where the elector is so qualified is eligible to
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vote by emergency mail ballot according to this chapter. Within twenty (20) days or less prior to
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any election, the elector may obtain from the local board an application for an emergency mail
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ballot or may complete an emergency in-person mail ballot application on an electronic poll pad at
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the board of canvassers where the elector maintains his or her residence.
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(2) The application shall include proof of the voter's date of birth and a Rhode Island
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driver's license number or state identification number.
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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.

LC003291 - Page 3 of 5
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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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SECTION 2. 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 require verification of an applicant's date of birth and either a Rhode Island
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driver's license number or state identification number on all applications seeking mail ballots and
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emergency mail ballots.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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