Bill Sponsors
Burke, and LaMountain
Committee
Senate Judiciary
Summary
Select
This bill changes the day of primary elections if the scheduled date falls on the day right after Labor Day. When this happens, the primary election will be moved from Tuesday to Wednesday. However, all the administrative deadlines related to the election, such as candidate nominations, challenges, and certifications, will still be calculated as if the election were taking place on Tuesday.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Moving the election away from the day after a holiday weekend may increase voter turnout, especially for working-class individuals who might be traveling or catching up on work after Labor Day.
- Eases the burden on poll workers, many of whom are community volunteers or retirees, by not forcing them to set up polling stations on a federal holiday.
- Maintains consistent administrative deadlines, preventing confusion or disenfranchisement of grassroots candidates who rely on predictable timelines to get on the ballot.
Cons for Progressives
- A Wednesday election breaks the traditional Tuesday voting norm, which could confuse some voters and inadvertently suppress turnout among marginalized communities unfamiliar with the change.
- The bill does not go far enough in expanding voter access, such as by making election day a state holiday or expanding early voting requirements.
- Calculating deadlines based on a Tuesday while holding the election on a Wednesday creates a slight mismatch that could lead to technical errors or legal challenges for less-resourced progressive candidates.
Pros for Conservatives
- Ensures the orderly administration of elections by keeping all statutory deadlines tied to the original Tuesday date, upholding the rule of law and strict adherence to established timelines.
- Prevents government workers and election officials from having to work on Labor Day, potentially saving taxpayer money by avoiding holiday overtime pay.
- Maintains the integrity of the election process by making a simple, pragmatic adjustment to the calendar without introducing sweeping, costly changes to the voting system.
Cons for Conservatives
- Changing the traditional Tuesday election day disrupts long-standing civic norms and traditions regarding when elections are held in the United States.
- Allowing deadlines to be calculated based on a different day than the actual election could introduce unnecessary complexity and bureaucratic confusion.
- The government is interfering with the established election calendar instead of expecting voters to take personal responsibility to vote on the designated Tuesday, regardless of the preceding holiday.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Voters
- Political Candidates
- Election Officials
- Poll Workers
- Political Parties
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
None
Revenue Generated
None
BillBuddy Impact Ratings
Importance
Measures population affected and overall level of impact.
Freedom Impact
Level of individual freedom impacted by the bill.
Public Services
How much the bill is likely to impact one or more public services.
Regulatory
Estimated regulatory burden imposed on the subject(s) of the bill.
Clarity of Bill Language
How clear the language of the bill is. Higher ambiguity equals a lower score.
Enforcement Provisions
Measures enforcement provisions and penalties for non-compliance (if applicable).
Environmental Impact
Impact the bill will have on the environment, positive or negative.
Privacy Impact
Impact the bill is likely to have on the privacy of individuals.
Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/16/2026 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
• 02/20/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
• 02/23/2026 Meeting postponed (02/24/2026)
• 02/23/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/26/2026)
• 02/26/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
• 03/24/2026 Scheduled for consideration (03/26/2026)
• 03/24/2026 Proposed Substitute
• 03/26/2026 Committee recommends passage of Sub A
• 03/27/2026 Placed on Senate Calendar (03/31/2026)
• 03/31/2026 Senate passed Sub A
• 04/01/2026 Referred to House State Government & Elections
• 04/03/2026 Scheduled for consideration (04/07/2026)
• 04/07/2026 Committee recommends passage of Sub A in concurrence
• 04/10/2026 Placed on House Calendar (04/16/2026)
• 04/16/2026 House passed Sub A in concurrence
• 04/16/2026 Transmitted to Governor
• 04/20/2026 Signed by Governor
• 02/20/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
• 02/23/2026 Meeting postponed (02/24/2026)
• 02/23/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/26/2026)
• 02/26/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
• 03/24/2026 Scheduled for consideration (03/26/2026)
• 03/24/2026 Proposed Substitute
• 03/26/2026 Committee recommends passage of Sub A
• 03/27/2026 Placed on Senate Calendar (03/31/2026)
• 03/31/2026 Senate passed Sub A
• 04/01/2026 Referred to House State Government & Elections
• 04/03/2026 Scheduled for consideration (04/07/2026)
• 04/07/2026 Committee recommends passage of Sub A in concurrence
• 04/10/2026 Placed on House Calendar (04/16/2026)
• 04/16/2026 House passed Sub A in concurrence
• 04/16/2026 Transmitted to Governor
• 04/20/2026 Signed by Governor
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.
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 17-19-7, 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 17-19-7, 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.
Changes from S2147A:
The amended version of the bill corrects a specific statutory citation related to the calculation of dates for primary candidate nomination and certification processes. It updates a single reference from Section 17-9-7 to Section 17-19-7.
- The statutory reference to "17-9-7" has been changed to "17-19-7".
------
The amended version of the bill corrects a specific statutory citation related to the calculation of dates for primary candidate nomination and certification processes. It updates a single reference from Section 17-9-7 to Section 17-19-7.
- The statutory reference to "17-9-7" has been changed to "17-19-7".
------