Increases from seven (7) days to nine (9) days the period of time in which a request for a recount of the votes cast can be made to the board of elections. No certificates of election may be issued, until the recount if any is completed.

Rhode Island Bill Summary: Extending the Election Recount Request Window

This bill would give candidates and other eligible parties more time to request an official recount of votes after an election in Rhode Island. Currently, state law allows nine days to make such a request to the Board of Elections. This bill would extend that window from seven days to nine days, giving people two additional days to decide whether to formally ask for votes to be recounted.

The bill also clarifies an existing rule: no official certificate of election — the document that formally declares someone the winner — can be issued until any requested recount has been fully completed. This means that if a recount is requested, the declared winner must wait for that process to finish before being officially certified.

This bill would primarily affect candidates running for office in Rhode Island, their campaigns, and election officials who manage the recount process. Voters could also be indirectly affected, as it may slightly delay the final certification of election results in close races where a recount is requested. The change is relatively narrow in scope, simply adjusting a procedural deadline rather than changing how recounts themselves are conducted.

As of now, the bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island House and referred to the House State Government & Elections Committee, which has recommended it be held for further study. This means the bill has not yet advanced further in the legislative process.