Bill Sponsors
Baginski, Paplauskas, and J. Brien
Committee
House State Government & Elections
Summary
Select
This legislation adjusts the scheduling of primary elections in Rhode Island. Currently, primary elections occur on the eighth Tuesday before the general state election. This bill mandates that if that specific Tuesday falls on the day immediately following Labor Day, the primary election will instead be held on the next day, Wednesday. Despite this one-day shift for voting, all administrative deadlines—such as candidate nominations, challenges, and withdrawals—will still be calculated as if the election were held on Tuesday, ensuring the preparatory schedule remains consistent.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Increases voter accessibility by moving the election off the day immediately following a holiday, allowing citizens returning from travel or childcare duties time to prepare to vote.
- Protects the rights of poll workers and election staff by ensuring they are not forced to work or set up polling stations on Labor Day, a federal holiday dedicated to workers.
- May help maintain or improve voter turnout by avoiding the "holiday hangover" where voters might forget to vote or be too exhausted to participate immediately after a long weekend.
Cons for Progressives
- Moving an election to a Wednesday breaks the standard Tuesday tradition, which could confuse some voters and inadvertently suppress turnout among those unaware of the schedule change.
- Retaining administrative deadlines based on the Tuesday date creates a complex bureaucratic disconnect that could confuse grassroots candidates who lack professional legal teams to navigate the timeline.
- Represents a very minor procedural tweak rather than addressing significant systemic barriers to voting, such as the need for broader early voting expansion or same-day registration improvements.
Pros for Conservatives
- Maintains the strict statutory timeline for candidate filings and challenges, ensuring that election integrity and order are not compromised by the one-day shift in voting.
- Avoids the logistical inefficiency and potential overtime costs associated with requiring municipal employees to prepare polling places on a federal holiday.
- Preserves the traditional election calendar structure as much as possible, making only a minimal twenty-four-hour adjustment rather than overhauling the system.
Cons for Conservatives
- Deviates from the long-standing tradition of Tuesday elections, potentially creating confusion among the electorate and disrupting the customary flow of the election cycle.
- Creates a confusing legal framework where the law treats deadlines as if the election is on one day, while the actual voting happens on another, potentially inviting legal disputes.
- Could be viewed as unnecessary government tinkering with established dates, as voters should be responsible enough to vote regardless of the preceding holiday.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Voters
- Poll Workers
- Political Candidates
- Election Officials
- Town Clerks
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
None
Revenue Generated
None
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/09/2026 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections
• 01/09/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (01/15/2026)
• 01/15/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
• 01/09/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (01/15/2026)
• 01/15/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Section 17-15-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows:
17-15-1. Date of primaries.
A primary election for the nomination of candidates for each political party shall be held in each voting district in the manner provided in this chapter on the eighth Tuesday preceding biennial state elections. Provided, however, that if the eighth Tuesday is the day after Labor Day, then the primary election shall be held on the next day, the Wednesday, and in such occurrence, the dates for the primary candidate nomination, challenge, objection, hearing, withdrawal, vacancy, and certification processes established by §§ 17-14-11, 17-14-12, 17-15-38, and 17-9-7, including any ensuing statutory deadlines tied to those dates, shall be calculated as if the primary election were still held on the Tuesday.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
17-15-1. Date of primaries.
A primary election for the nomination of candidates for each political party shall be held in each voting district in the manner provided in this chapter on the eighth Tuesday preceding biennial state elections. Provided, however, that if the eighth Tuesday is the day after Labor Day, then the primary election shall be held on the next day, the Wednesday, and in such occurrence, the dates for the primary candidate nomination, challenge, objection, hearing, withdrawal, vacancy, and certification processes established by §§ 17-14-11, 17-14-12, 17-15-38, and 17-9-7, including any ensuing statutory deadlines tied to those dates, shall be calculated as if the primary election were still held on the Tuesday.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.