Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore, the RI Department of State Elections Division, and the State Board of Elections are today reminding candidates of the availability of nomination papers, sharing new educational resources, and urging candidates to follow best practices for signature collection. 

“As campaign season is upon us once again, we want to remind candidates to be diligent about their signature collection processes and assure voters and candidates alike that the RI Department of State and the State Board of Elections are collaborating to ensure the security of the ballot qualification process,” said Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore. “Any attempt to submit fraudulent signatures will be identified and will not be tolerated, and I am proud to partner with the State Board of Elections to ensure the continued integrity of our elections processes.”

“The Rhode Island Board of Elections takes great pride in the professionalism and dedication of our staff and the local Boards of Canvassers in ensuring a transparent and secure election process,” said Miguel Nunes, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Board of Elections. “We have implemented stringent measures to ensure that every submitted signature is thoroughly vetted and validated by the local boards. In addition, we have developed a range of resources to help candidates understand and comply with the requirements for collecting and submitting nominating signatures under the law.”

This year, the RI Department of State and State Board of Elections created a new resource to assist candidates for office in understanding their nomination papers, including best practices and requirements under the law for collecting signatures. The new infographic is available online here.

Candidates for independent presidential electors and candidates for Senator and Representative in Congress, as well as Providence General Assembly candidates, must obtain their nomination papers from the Department of State Elections Division. All other candidates, including General Assembly candidates (except for those from Providence) and candidates for all local offices, must obtain their nomination papers from the local Board of Canvassers where they filed their Declaration of Candidacy.

All nomination papers must be returned to the local Board of Canvassers in the city or town listed at the top of the nomination paper by 4 p.m. on July 12, with the exception of independent presidential electors, who have until 4 p.m. on September 6 to file their papers.

A new law, introduced on behalf of Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore and the RI Department of State, codifies a process through which local election officials are notified of suspected forgery or fraud on nomination papers, and requires that instances of suspected forgery or fraud be reviewed and adjudicated in a timely manner. The bill ensures that all municipalities have a uniform reporting process and receive timely information, and that the State Board of Elections has an efficient, standardized process in place to make determinations related to ballot eligibility. The State Board of Elections is in the process of publicizing the final regulations for nomination papers.

Once the ballot qualification process is complete, the ballot placement lottery will be held on Friday, July 19 at 5 p.m. at the RI Department of State Elections Division.

For important elections information for candidates and voters, visit vote.ri.gov.