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HB 5709

AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- MAIL BALLOTS

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Deb Fellela and 1 co-sponsor

Creates automatic mail-ballot applications for permanently disabled or long-term nursing home residents, with optional temporary electronic delivery for eligible voters.

06/24/2025 Signed by Governor
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 5709

Summary of HB 5709 (Rhode Island, 2025) – Mail Ballots

Overview

HB 5709, titled “An Act Relating to Elections — Mail Ballots,” modernizes how permanently disabled voters and nursing home residents participate in mail-ballot elections and expands accessibility options for eligible disabled voters. The bill was introduced in 2025 and, following legislative passage, was signed by the Governor on June 24, 2025. It takes effect upon passage and includes temporary provisions that sunset on December 31, 2025.

What the bill does

  • Establishes a permanent mail-ballot application list for certain voters and streamlines how they receive mail-ballot applications for every election.
  • Creates an automatic process for permanently disabled voters and long-term nursing home residents to receive mail-ballot applications without reapplying each election.
  • Authorized electronic transmission for eligible disabled voters (subject to sunset provisions) to receive and return mail ballots via a system modeled on the UOCAVA framework, with accessibility protections under Section 508.

Key provisions (Section 17-20-9)

1) Automatic mail-ballot applications for permanently disabled or long-term nursing home residents
- Eligible voters may sign an affidavit requesting automatic mail-ballot applications for every election.
- The envelope for the mail-ballot application is clearly marked not forwardable.
- Voters must notify the clerk if they cease to be eligible (e.g., no longer permanently confined or no longer residing in a nursing home); the clerk must remove them from the mailing list within 5 days of reliable information, with notification to the voter.

2) Paper and online processing
- The affidavit and instructions are mailed to the applicant with a stamped return envelope to the local board of canvassers.
- The secretary of state may process these applications via an online mail-ballot application portal (per § 17-20-2.3).

3) Definitions and scope
- “Nursing home” means facilities defined/licensed by the Department of Health; long-term residency excludes short-term rehabilitation.
- The secretary of state maintains a central list of voters automatically receiving these applications.

4) Electronic delivery (temporary)
- Eligible disabled voters may electronically receive and return mail ballots using the same system as UOCAVA (federal standard), with 508 accessibility compliance.
- The electronic delivery/return option and the related definitions expire on December 31, 2025.

5) Eligibility definition (temporary)
- An “eligible disabled voter” is someone with a disability making in-person voting at polling places an undue hardship due to illness, mental/physical disability, blindness, or mobility impairment.

Administrative and operational impacts

  • The Secretary of State centralizes the list of voters receiving automatic mail-ballot applications.
  • Local boards of canvassers handle removals from the list with a 5-day notification requirement.
  • The online portal and paper affidavit process provide multiple paths for enrollment.
  • The temporary electronic delivery provision (subject to sunset) aims to improve accessibility for disabled voters, aligning with federal accessibility standards (Section 508).

Affected parties

  • Permanently disabled voters
  • Long-term residents of nursing homes (and their families/caregivers)
  • Other eligible disabled voters (for the optional electronic delivery mechanism during its sunset period)
  • Local boards of canvassers and the Secretary of State
  • Voters who may benefit from automated mail-ballot applications and streamlined processing

Legislative status and timeline

  • Introduced: February 26, 2025
  • Passed by the Senate and House in 2025, transmitted to the Governor June 18, 2025
  • Signed by Governor: June 24, 2025
  • Effective date: Upon passage
  • Sunset provisions: Electronic delivery for eligible disabled voters expires December 31, 2025

This bill modernizes the process for obtaining mail-ballot access for permanently disabled and nursing home residents, while providing a temporary electronic option to enhance accessibility for eligible disabled voters.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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