ELECTIONS -- PRIMARY ELECTIONS, the official text

H7049 2026 -- H 7049 ======== LC003210 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- PRIMARY ELECTIONS Introduced By: Representatives Baginski, Paplauskas, and J. Brien Date Introduced: January 09, 2026 Referred To: House State Government & Elections It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Section 17-15-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled Primary 2 Elections is hereby amended to read as follows: 3 17-15-1. Date of primaries. 4 A primary election for the nomination of candidates for each political party shall be held 5 in each voting district in the manner provided in this chapter on the eighth Tuesday preceding 6 biennial state elections. Provided, however, that if the eighth Tuesday is the day after Labor Day, 7 then the primary election shall be held on the next day, the Wednesday, and in such occurrence, the 8 dates for the primary candidate nomination, challenge, objection, hearing, withdrawal, vacancy, 9 and certification processes established by §§ 17-14-11, 17-14-12, 17-15-38, and 17-9-7, including 10 any ensuing statutory deadlines tied to those dates, shall be calculated as if the primary election 11 were still held on the Tuesday. 12 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC003210 ======== EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- PRIMARY ELECTIONS *** 1 This act would require that the primary election date, statutorily the eighth Tuesday 2 preceding the biennial state elections, shall be held on the Wednesday immediately following Labor 3 Day if the eighth Tuesday immediately follows Labor Day. This provision would not change any 4 other deadlines established in Title 17. 5 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC003210 ======== LC003210 - Page 2 of 2