Bill Sponsors
Perez, Fellela, Slater, Corvese, Shallcross Smith, Felix, Hull, Hopkins, Fascia, and J. Brien
Committee
House State Government & Elections
Summary
Select
This legislation modifies the requirements for individuals seeking to become delegates to national political conventions during the presidential primary process. Specifically, it significantly reduces the number of signatures a candidate for delegate must collect from registered voters, lowering the requirement from 150 signatures to 50. Furthermore, the bill adjusts the timeline for the election process, moving the deadline for submitting nomination papers to local boards and the deadline for submitting candidate approval documentation to the Secretary of State closer to the date of the presidential preference primary.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Democratizes the political process by significantly lowering the barrier to entry for grassroots activists and working-class individuals who may lack the resources to gather large numbers of signatures.
- Encourages a more diverse slate of delegates by making it easier for underrepresented groups and political outsiders to participate in national conventions.
- Provides slightly more flexibility in the election timeline, potentially reducing administrative friction for candidates operating without large campaign staffs.
Cons for Progressives
- Could theoretically allow fringe or disruptive elements to clutter the ballot more easily, potentially distracting from serious policy debates or candidates.
- Shortening the window between submission deadlines and the primary might place stress on local election boards, potentially leading to processing errors that could inadvertently disenfranchise candidates.
- Represents a minor procedural tweak rather than a comprehensive reform of the electoral system, which some might view as a missed opportunity for broader voting rights expansion.
Pros for Conservatives
- Reduces government bureaucracy and red tape by lowering the arbitrary hurdle of signature collection for individual citizens wishing to participate in the political process.
- Promotes political competition by making it easier for challengers and non-establishment figures to run for delegate positions against entrenched party insiders.
- Aligns with the principle of individual liberty by removing unnecessary state-imposed obstacles to political participation.
Cons for Conservatives
- Drastically lowering the signature requirement by two-thirds could diminish the seriousness of the position and allow unqualified individuals to clutter the system.
- Compressing the timeline for verification by moving deadlines closer to the election could weaken election integrity safeguards and oversight capabilities.
- Erodes the traditional vetting process that ensures candidates have a minimum level of community support before appearing on a ballot.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Convention Delegate Candidates
- Local Boards of Canvassers
- Secretary of State
- Registered Voters
- Political Parties
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
• 01/14/2026 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Sections 17-12.1-6 and 17-12.1-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-12.1 entitled "Primaries for Election of Delegates to National Conventions and for Presidential Preference" are hereby amended to read as follows:
17-12.1-6. Number of signers required.
The nomination papers of a candidate for delegate to a national convention shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at leastone hundred fifty (150) fifty (50) eligible voters.
17-12.1-7. Checking and certification of nomination papers.
(a) Each nomination paper of a candidate for delegate shall be submitted on or before four o’clock (4:00) p.m. in the afternoon of thefifty-sixth (56th) fifty-fourth day before the presidential preference primary to the local board of the city or town where the signers appear to be voters, and the nomination papers shall be checked, processed, and certified to the secretary of state by the local boards before four o’clock (4:00) p.m. in the afternoon of the fifty-third (53rd) day before the presidential preference primary. In addition, each candidate for delegate to a national convention may, on or before four o’clock (4:00) p.m. in the afternoon of the fifty-third (53rd) fiftieth day before the presidential primary, submit to the secretary of state documentation from a candidate, as set forth in § 17-12.1-4, that he or she has the approval of the candidate for presidential nominee or approval from the steering/screening committee to name the candidates’ delegates to be identified with him or her. Names of delegates pledged to a presidential candidate who do not receive approval of the candidate for presidential nominee or approval from the steering/screening committee to name the candidates’ delegates to be identified with him/her, who are otherwise qualified, shall appear on the ballot in accordance with party rules.
(b) When nomination papers have been duly certified by the appropriate local boards of canvassers, they shall be conclusively presumed to be valid, unless written objections to them are made as to the eligibility of the candidate or the sufficiency of the nomination papers or the signatures on them. All objections shall be filed with the state board of elections by four o’clock (4:00) p.m. on the next business day after the last day fixed for local boards to file nomination papers with the secretary of state. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the secretary of state from disqualifying a candidate based on the determination of the secretary of state that the nomination papers or the signatures on them are invalid or insufficient.
(c) The decision of the state board shall be rendered not later than four o’clock (4:00) p.m. on the forty-seventh (47th) day before the presidential preference primary and shall immediately be certified by the state board to the secretary of state.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
17-12.1-6. Number of signers required.
The nomination papers of a candidate for delegate to a national convention shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least
17-12.1-7. Checking and certification of nomination papers.
(a) Each nomination paper of a candidate for delegate shall be submitted on or before four o’clock (4:00) p.m. in the afternoon of the
(b) When nomination papers have been duly certified by the appropriate local boards of canvassers, they shall be conclusively presumed to be valid, unless written objections to them are made as to the eligibility of the candidate or the sufficiency of the nomination papers or the signatures on them. All objections shall be filed with the state board of elections by four o’clock (4:00) p.m. on the next business day after the last day fixed for local boards to file nomination papers with the secretary of state. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the secretary of state from disqualifying a candidate based on the determination of the secretary of state that the nomination papers or the signatures on them are invalid or insufficient.
(c) The decision of the state board shall be rendered not later than four o’clock (4:00) p.m. on the forty-seventh (47th) day before the presidential preference primary and shall immediately be certified by the state board to the secretary of state.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.