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S 3113Elections & Voting

Elections - Conduct of Election and Voting Equipment, and Supplies

This bill extends the deadline for candidates to request a vote recount from seven to nine days and clarifies federal vote counting rules.

Signed into law63 Yea0 Nay12 Not voting
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 13, 2026Committee Senate Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends existing election laws regarding how the state board handles election returns. Specifically, it updates the language to explicitly state that the board must tabulate returns for both state and federal elections. Additionally, the bill extends the deadline for a candidate to challenge election results and petition for a recount. Under the current law, a candidate has seven days to file a petition; this bill increases that period to nine days after the results are declared.

For younger readers

When we have an election to choose leaders, the votes must be counted very carefully. Sometimes, a person running for a job in the government thinks the counting might have been wrong, so they ask for a "recount." Right now, they have one week (seven days) to ask for this. This new rule gives them two extra days, making it nine days total. It also makes sure the rules say that counting votes applies to big leaders for the whole country, not just for our state.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Candidates for OfficeRhode Island Board of ElectionsVotersElection OfficialsCampaign Staff
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Enhances election integrity by giving candidates more time to identify irregularities and request a recount, ensuring accurate democratic outcomes.
  • Clarifies the responsibility of the state to oversee federal election tabulations, reinforcing the importance of every vote in national contests.
  • Promotes fairness in the electoral process by extending the window for challenges, which helps ensure that administrative errors can be caught and corrected.
  • Does not address broader systemic issues regarding voter suppression or access to the ballot box.
  • Could slightly delay the final certification of election results, prolonging the period of uncertainty after an election.
  • Focuses on procedural mechanics for candidates rather than expanding rights or protections for individual voters.
For Conservatives
  • Strengthens the ability to challenge election results, aligning with the priority of verifying election integrity and accuracy.
  • Codifies the state's authority over the tabulation of federal returns, ensuring clear state-level oversight of national election data.
  • Provides a clearer, strictly defined legal timeline for resolving election disputes, upholding the rule of law.
  • Extends the period of uncertainty following an election, potentially delaying the final confirmation of winners.
  • Does not implement stricter voter identification requirements or other fraud-prevention measures often sought by conservatives.
  • Expands the administrative window for challenges, which could be viewed as allowing for more litigation or bureaucratic delay.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 5 additions · 2 deletions

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 17-19-37 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-19 entitled "Conduct of Election and Voting Equipment, and Supplies" is hereby amended to read as follows: 17-19-37. Tabulation of state returns — Certificate of election. Tabulation of state and federal returns – Certificate of election. The state board shall proceed to tabulate the state and federal election returns and declare the results as provided in chapter 22 of this title, and any candidate at the election challenging the result as applied to him or her may petition the board within seven (7) nine (9) days after the declaration to conduct a recount of the votes cast in the candidate’s election according to the provisions set forth in § 17-19-37.1. After the completion of the recount, and as soon as it can do so consistent with its other duties, the state board shall issue a certificate of election to the state and federal candidate it determines to have been elected.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.