Requires party chairpersons to submit lists of party voters to the mayor or council president within 30 days of notice of vacancy in a municipal election office and mayor/council president are required to make a replacement nomination within 30 days.

Plain-English Summary

This bill sets up a clear timeline for filling vacant positions on local election boards (called "canvassing authorities") in Rhode Island cities and towns. Currently, when one of these seats opens up, there may be no firm deadline for getting the position filled. This bill would change that by requiring specific actions within set timeframes.

Here's how the process would work under this bill: When a vacancy opens up on a local election board, the chairperson of the relevant political party would have 30 days to submit a list of eligible party members who could fill the seat. Then, the mayor or city/town council president would have another 30 days to officially nominate a replacement from that list. This creates a back-to-back 60-day window to get the position filled.

This bill primarily affects local political party leaders, mayors, and council presidents across Rhode Island's cities and towns, as well as the local election boards themselves. For everyday residents, it could mean that local election offices stay properly staffed and functional, especially around election time when having a full board is important for running elections smoothly.

The bill was introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. As of early 2026, it was scheduled for hearings but a meeting was postponed, and the committee has recommended holding the bill for further study, meaning it has not yet moved forward toward a vote.