Committee reviews multiple bills on mail ballots, polling caps, and other election administration changes

Senate Judiciary considered a package of election‑administration bills covering mail‑ballot processing, permanent mail‑ballot application lists, who may return a voter’s mail ballot, polling‑place caps and write‑in reporting. Officials urged targeted modernization while warning against measures that could disenfranchise voters.

What was proposed and who testified

- Senate Bill 815: Would let the Board of Elections process and tabulate absentee/mail ballots for local special elections using the same centralized procedures currently used for statewide ballots. The Department of State, Board of Elections and local clerks supported this change as more secure and efficient; they said the board already has tabulation equipment and trained staff.

- Senate Bill 520: Would streamline the permanent mail‑ballot application process so voters who elect to be on a permanent list do not need to reapply each cycle. The Secretary of State’s office, clerks, disability advocates and voting‑rights groups supported the change as a convenience and accessibility improvement.

- Senate Bill 522: Would change how write‑in votes are handled, shifting reporting and some adjudication tasks to the Board of Elections unless write‑ins could change an outcome. Local canvassing officials testified that hand‑reading thousands of write‑ins is time‑consuming and that machine‑captured images are already posted on the BOE website; the BOE argued the change would save staff time while keeping public transparency.

- Senate Bills 282 and 283: SB 282 would require additional verification information on mail‑ballot applications (date of birth and a driver’s license or state ID). SB 283 would limit who may physically return a voter’s mail ballot to the voter, their spouse, court‑appointed guardian, co‑habitants or close relatives. The Board of Elections and disability advocates raised concerns that SB 282 (as written) could prevent some voters without ID from applying for mail ballots unless a safe fallback is added; SB 283 drew opposition from disability advocates and service providers who said it could prevent caregivers and staff at group homes from returning ballots and thereby disenfranchise vulnerable voters.

- Senate Bill 513: Would raise the statutory cap on precinct size from 3,000 to 3,500 registered voters to reduce the number of times jurisdictions must reassign voters to a new polling place and to give clerks flexibility amid poll‑worker shortages. Clerks and the Board of Elections supported the modest increase and described electronic poll pads and other operational practices that keep lines moving.

Administrative details and numbers cited: Board and secretary staff said about 170,000 voters voted before election day in the most recent cycle and that the state’s centralized equipment handles many mail ballots. The secretary’s office described 9,187 Rhode Islanders who used same‑day presidential registration in the last presidential cycle. Cranston officials said they had roughly 12,000 early voters in October in one cycle; local canvassers reported thousands of write‑in entries in some municipalities (Cranston reported about 3,583 write‑ins across polling places in one election).

Process and outcome: Committee members repeatedly asked for drafting clarifications to protect access. After testimony, the committee held each of the measures for further study so staff can draft fallback verification rules, review accessibility impacts and refine statutory language.

Ending: Across hearings, election officials emphasized that modernization is feasible and beneficial when paired with safeguards: fallback identity checks, clear signature‑verification procedures, and protection for voters who rely on caregivers or third‑party assistance to return ballots.