Bill Sponsors
O'Brien, Shanley, Solomon, Dawson, Biah, McEntee, Noret, Read, Azzinaro, and Corvese
Committee
House State Government & Elections
Summary
Select
This bill updates the laws regarding how certain Rhode Island voters can cast their ballots electronically. It establishes specific cybersecurity standards for the systems used by military members and citizens living overseas to send their votes, requiring these systems to undergo security reviews and meet federal guidelines. Additionally, the legislation makes permanent the ability for voters with disabilities to receive and return their mail ballots electronically. Previously, the provision allowing electronic voting for disabled individuals was set to expire at the end of 2025.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Permanently codifies the right of voters with disabilities to receive and return ballots electronically, ensuring equitable access to the democratic process for those with mobility or visual impairments.
- Enhances the security of the voting process by mandating that electronic transmission systems meet strict federal cybersecurity guidelines and undergo independent reviews.
- Ensures that voting systems remain compliant with federal accessibility standards, protecting the civil rights of the disabled community to participate independently in elections.
Cons for Progressives
- Expands the use of electronic ballot return, which computer security experts often warn is inherently insecure and vulnerable to hacking or manipulation compared to paper ballots.
- Relies on "solutions" approved by the Secretary of State, potentially outsourcing critical election infrastructure to private vendors with proprietary software that lacks public transparency.
- Does not extend these convenient electronic voting options to the general working-class population, maintaining a two-tiered system of voting access.
Pros for Conservatives
- Facilitates voting for active-duty military members stationed overseas, ensuring those serving our country have their voices heard in elections.
- Imposes stricter security requirements on electronic voting systems, including independent reviews and adherence to federal cybersecurity frameworks, to protect against foreign interference.
- Maintains centralized oversight by requiring the Secretary of State to approve the specific systems used for electronic transmission, preventing local boards from using unverified methods.
Cons for Conservatives
- Permanently expands electronic ballot returns, which are widely considered susceptible to cyber-attacks and fraud, potentially undermining confidence in election results.
- Moves further away from traditional in-person voting with paper trails, making it more difficult to audit elections and verify the identity of the person casting the electronic vote.
- Tethers state election security protocols to federal guidelines (NIST), potentially ceding state sovereignty over election administration to federal bureaucracies.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Military members
- Overseas citizens
- Disabled voters
- Secretary of State
- Local Boards of Canvassers
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
Amount unknown
Revenue Generated
None
BillBuddy Impact Ratings
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Freedom Impact
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Public Services
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Regulatory
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Clarity of Bill Language
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Enforcement Provisions
Measures enforcement provisions and penalties for non-compliance (if applicable).
Environmental Impact
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Privacy Impact
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/07/2026 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections
• 01/09/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (01/15/2026)
• 01/09/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (01/15/2026)
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Sections 17-20-6.1 and 17-20-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-20 entitled "Mail Ballots" are hereby amended to read as follows:
17-20-6.1. Alternative methods of voting by citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and other citizens residing outside the United States. [Effective December 31, 2025.] (a) It is the intent and purpose that the provisions set forth in this section are designed to facilitate the federal mandate of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), 52 U.S.C. § 20301 et seq.
(b) The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) may be used as a request for an absentee ballot by:
(1) A member of the armed forces who is absent from the state by reason of being in active service;
(2) Any person absent from the state in performance of “services intimately connected with military operations” as defined in § 17-20-3(d);
(3) Any person who is employed outside of the United States as defined in § 17-20-3(c); and
(4) Any person who does not qualify under subparagraph (1), (2), or (3) above, but who is a citizen of the United States and absent from the state and residing outside the United States as described in chapter 21.1 of this title.
(c) The single FPCA card shall permit the person to request an absentee ballot for each primary and election through the next general election for federal office or for the time period specified by federal law in which the voter is eligible to vote.
(d) The FPCA card must be received by the local board of canvassers where the person last maintains his or her residence for voting purposes within the time frame for applying for absentee ballots as set forth in this title.
(e) If the FPCA, when used in accordance with this section, is sent by the voter through electronic transmission, it must be sent to the secretary of state and it must be received by the secretary of state by the deadline for applying for absentee ballots as set forth in this title. The secretary of state shall then forward the FPCA to the appropriate local authority who shall immediately certify and return the FPCA to the secretary of state with the notation that the corresponding ballots shall be sent by mail and electronic transmission.The secretary of state shall transmit ballots only to the facsimile number provided by the Federal Voter Assistance Program.
The secretary of state shall approve electronically transmitted ballots to and from eligible voters only through a service or solution that meets the following requirements:
(1) The system has had one or more independent security reviews;
(2) Demonstrates the system meets the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework guidelines or federal cybersecurity framework guidelines of a successor designated federal agency or organization; and
(3) Approved by the secretary of state.
The ballots sent by electronic transmission shall be returned to the state board by electronic transmission. These ballots will be counted at the state board in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the state board.
(f) The voter’s signature on the FPCA does not need to be witnessed or notarized, when the FPCA is submitted as provided in this section.
(g) If a voter is casting a mail ballot received through the use of the FPCA card as provided in this section, the voter’s signature does not need to be witnessed or notarized on the certifying envelope used for the return of the voted mail ballot.
17-20-9. Application to be placed on the permanent mail ballot application list.
(a) A voter, by signing an application, may request that a mail ballot application be sent to the voter automatically for every election. The application and instructions shall be prescribed by the secretary of state, and furnished upon request to any elector by each local board of canvassers. The envelope containing the mail ballot application shall be clearly marked as not forwardable. If any elector is no longer an eligible voter the elector shall notify the local board of canvassers of LC003125 - Page 2 of 4 this fact. The local board shall remove the name of any voter from the mailing list established under this section upon receipt of reliable information that a voter no longer qualifies for the service. The voter shall be notified of the action within five (5) days after the board takes the action.
(b) The application and instructions prescribed in this section shall be mailed to the applicant along with a stamped return envelope addressed to the local boards of canvassers. The secretary of state may process applications pursuant to this section through the online mail ballot application portal established by § 17-20-2.3.
(c) [Deleted by P.L. 2025, ch. 231, § 1 and P.L. 2025, ch. 232, § 1.] (d) The secretary of state shall maintain a list in the central voter registration system of all voters who automatically receive applications for mail ballots, pursuant to this section.
(e) [Expires December 31, 2025.] Eligible disabled voters shall be entitled to electronically receive and return their mail ballot, using the same electronic transmission system as that used by voters covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). This electronic process shall satisfy the federal Rehabilitation Act, section 508 concerning accessibility standards.
(f) [Expires December 31, 2025.] For purposes of this section, “eligible disabled voter” means a person with disabilities eligible to vote who is incapacitated to such an extent that it would be an undue hardship to vote at the polls because of illness, mental or physical disability, blindness, or a serious impairment of mobility.
(g) Eligible disabled voters shall be entitled to electronically receive and return their mail ballot, using the same electronic transmission system as that used by voters covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. (UOCAVA). This electronic process shall satisfy the federal Rehabilitation Act, section 508 concerning accessibility standards.
(h) For purposes of this section, "eligible disabled voter" means a person with disabilities eligible to vote who is incapacitated to such an extent that it would be an undue hardship to vote at the polls because of illness, mental or physical disability, blindness, or a serious impairment of mobility.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
17-20-6.1. Alternative methods of voting by citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and other citizens residing outside the United States. [Effective December 31, 2025.] (a) It is the intent and purpose that the provisions set forth in this section are designed to facilitate the federal mandate of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), 52 U.S.C. § 20301 et seq.
(b) The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) may be used as a request for an absentee ballot by:
(1) A member of the armed forces who is absent from the state by reason of being in active service;
(2) Any person absent from the state in performance of “services intimately connected with military operations” as defined in § 17-20-3(d);
(3) Any person who is employed outside of the United States as defined in § 17-20-3(c); and
(4) Any person who does not qualify under subparagraph (1), (2), or (3) above, but who is a citizen of the United States and absent from the state and residing outside the United States as described in chapter 21.1 of this title.
(c) The single FPCA card shall permit the person to request an absentee ballot for each primary and election through the next general election for federal office or for the time period specified by federal law in which the voter is eligible to vote.
(d) The FPCA card must be received by the local board of canvassers where the person last maintains his or her residence for voting purposes within the time frame for applying for absentee ballots as set forth in this title.
(e) If the FPCA, when used in accordance with this section, is sent by the voter through electronic transmission, it must be sent to the secretary of state and it must be received by the secretary of state by the deadline for applying for absentee ballots as set forth in this title. The secretary of state shall then forward the FPCA to the appropriate local authority who shall immediately certify and return the FPCA to the secretary of state with the notation that the corresponding ballots shall be sent by mail and electronic transmission.
The secretary of state shall approve electronically transmitted ballots to and from eligible voters only through a service or solution that meets the following requirements:
(1) The system has had one or more independent security reviews;
(2) Demonstrates the system meets the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework guidelines or federal cybersecurity framework guidelines of a successor designated federal agency or organization; and
(3) Approved by the secretary of state.
The ballots sent by electronic transmission shall be returned to the state board by electronic transmission. These ballots will be counted at the state board in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the state board.
(f) The voter’s signature on the FPCA does not need to be witnessed or notarized, when the FPCA is submitted as provided in this section.
(g) If a voter is casting a mail ballot received through the use of the FPCA card as provided in this section, the voter’s signature does not need to be witnessed or notarized on the certifying envelope used for the return of the voted mail ballot.
17-20-9. Application to be placed on the permanent mail ballot application list.
(a) A voter, by signing an application, may request that a mail ballot application be sent to the voter automatically for every election. The application and instructions shall be prescribed by the secretary of state, and furnished upon request to any elector by each local board of canvassers. The envelope containing the mail ballot application shall be clearly marked as not forwardable. If any elector is no longer an eligible voter the elector shall notify the local board of canvassers of LC003125 - Page 2 of 4 this fact. The local board shall remove the name of any voter from the mailing list established under this section upon receipt of reliable information that a voter no longer qualifies for the service. The voter shall be notified of the action within five (5) days after the board takes the action.
(b) The application and instructions prescribed in this section shall be mailed to the applicant along with a stamped return envelope addressed to the local boards of canvassers. The secretary of state may process applications pursuant to this section through the online mail ballot application portal established by § 17-20-2.3.
(c) [Deleted by P.L. 2025, ch. 231, § 1 and P.L. 2025, ch. 232, § 1.] (d) The secretary of state shall maintain a list in the central voter registration system of all voters who automatically receive applications for mail ballots, pursuant to this section.
(e) [Expires December 31, 2025.] Eligible disabled voters shall be entitled to electronically receive and return their mail ballot, using the same electronic transmission system as that used by voters covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). This electronic process shall satisfy the federal Rehabilitation Act, section 508 concerning accessibility standards.
(f) [Expires December 31, 2025.] For purposes of this section, “eligible disabled voter” means a person with disabilities eligible to vote who is incapacitated to such an extent that it would be an undue hardship to vote at the polls because of illness, mental or physical disability, blindness, or a serious impairment of mobility.
(g) Eligible disabled voters shall be entitled to electronically receive and return their mail ballot, using the same electronic transmission system as that used by voters covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. (UOCAVA). This electronic process shall satisfy the federal Rehabilitation Act, section 508 concerning accessibility standards.
(h) For purposes of this section, "eligible disabled voter" means a person with disabilities eligible to vote who is incapacitated to such an extent that it would be an undue hardship to vote at the polls because of illness, mental or physical disability, blindness, or a serious impairment of mobility.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.