H 7784Elections & Voting

Elections - Federal Elective Officers

This bill replaces the statewide winner-take-all electoral vote system with a district-based system awarding one vote per district winner.

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Introduced Feb 12, 2026Committee House State Government & Elections

Plain-English Summary

This legislation changes the method Rhode Island uses to award its Electoral College votes for the President and Vice President of the United States. Currently, the state uses a "winner-take-all" system where the winner of the statewide popular vote receives all four electoral votes. This bill proposes dividing the state into four distinct groups of municipalities with equal populations. Votes would be counted within each group, and the winner of each specific group would be awarded one electoral vote. This creates a district-based system for presidential elections rather than a statewide one.

For younger readers

Every four years, we vote for the President. Right now, Rhode Island gets four points (called electoral votes) to give to the winner. Under the current rules, the person who gets the most votes in the whole state gets all four points. This bill would change the rules. It would split the state into four separate sections, like cutting a pie into four pieces. The people in each section would vote, and the winner of that section would get one point. This means different candidates could win points from Rhode Island instead of just one person getting them all.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

VotersPolitical CandidatesElection OfficialsPolitical PartiesRedistricting Commission Members

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

Amount unknown

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Moves away from the "winner-take-all" system, aligning with the view that electoral outcomes should more accurately reflect the diverse political preferences of voters within the state rather than silencing the minority.
Encourages candidates to campaign in specific local communities and neighborhoods to win individual districts, potentially increasing grassroots engagement and attention to local issues.
Could allow distinct communities with specific socioeconomic or demographic characteristics to have their voices heard directly in the Electoral College, ensuring better representation for diverse populations.
Risks "unilateral disarmament" where a reliable Democratic state splits its votes while Republican strongholds remain winner-take-all, potentially making it harder to elect a progressive President nationally.
Opens the door to gerrymandering, where district lines could be drawn by those in power to manipulate outcomes and dilute the voting power of minority or disadvantaged communities.
Undermines the movement toward a National Popular Vote by entrenching a district-based system that still relies on arbitrary geographic boundaries rather than the total popular vote count of all citizens.

For Conservatives

Provides an opportunity for conservative voters in specific regions of the state to finally have their votes translate into an electoral vote, potentially breaking the monopoly of the urban progressive majority.
Promotes a system closer to the district-based representation found in Congress, ensuring that rural and suburban interests are not completely overshadowed by high-density population centers.
Increases the value of individual votes in competitive districts, forcing candidates to address local concerns rather than broad, statewide generalities.
Creates a new layer of government bureaucracy regarding the redistricting of "groups of municipalities," which could lead to increased government spending and administrative complexity.
Departing from the traditional statewide selection method could be seen as eroding the unified voice of the state in federal elections, weakening Rhode Island's standing.
If the redistricting process is controlled by the opposing political party, it could be weaponized to pack conservative voters into a single district to limit their influence to just one vote permanently.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 8 additions

SECTION 1. Section 17-4-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-4 entitled "Federal Elective Officers" is hereby amended to read as follows: 17-4-10. Presidential electors — Time and manner of voting — Election by plurality.

(a) The people of this state, qualified by law to vote for general offices, shall elect as many electors of president and vice-president of the United States that the state is or shall be entitled to at town, ward, and district meetings on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, in every fourth (4th) year, commencing in 1960, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 19 of this title, and the several candidates having a plurality of the legal votes given in at the election shall be elected.

(b) For purposes of electing presidential electors, the state shall be divided into four (4) groups of municipalities of approximately equal populations, created during the redistricting process. There shall be one group for each elected member of congress. Votes cast by each group's voters shall be tallied, with the winner of each group, awarded one electoral vote. The number of municipality groups shall be based upon the number of electoral votes Rhode Island is entitled to receive, through the redistricting process.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.