Makes several amendments to provide for an online nomination paper portal for election nomination papers.

Rhode Island Online Nomination Paper Portal Bill

This bill would create an online portal for people who want to run for elected office in Rhode Island to submit their nomination papers digitally. Currently, candidates must collect physical signatures from voters on paper forms to get their name on the ballot. This legislation would update the existing nomination process to allow parts of that process to happen online instead of — or in addition to — using traditional paper forms.

The bill would affect anyone who wants to run for office in Rhode Island, whether as a candidate representing a political party or as an independent candidate. It would also affect the voters who sign those nomination papers, as they may be able to do so through a secure online system rather than signing a physical document. Election officials would need to adapt their processes to manage and verify submissions through the new digital system.

The goal of the change appears to be modernizing the election nomination process to make it more accessible and efficient. Candidates would potentially have an easier time gathering the required signatures, and the overall process could be more streamlined for both candidates and election administrators. The bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, with a hearing scheduled for April 7, 2026.