PROVIDENCE — East Bay members of the General Assembly were among the legislators to sponsor bills in recent days in both chambers regarding ballot access and election integrity issues as the 2024 session roars to a close at the end of June.

The House and the Senate each approved legislation to establish a clear process for reporting and investigating cases of suspected signature fraud involving candidates’ nomination papers.

The bills, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer and Rep. June Speakman on behalf of Secretary of State Gregg Amore, of East Providence and the city's former District 65 member of the House, now goes to the other chamber for consideration.

The legislation (2024-H 7664A, 2024-S 3058) would codify a clear process for local boards of canvassers to immediately notify the State Board of Elections if there is a specific pattern of forgery or fraud involving signatures on a local, state or federal candidate’s nomination papers.

It's a legal response to the nomination papers submitted in the First Congressional District race last summer that included purported signatures of numerous deceased individuals.

A paid signature gatherer hired by a contractor has been charged in the case. That situation brought to light a lack of clarity in how local elections officials should report cases of questionable signatures.

“I readily agreed to introduce this bill on Secretary Amore’s behalf because I share his commitment to the integrity of the electoral process,” said Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol). “I am honored to sponsor this bill as it addresses and resolves concerns about the signature-gathering process that emerged in a recent election and ensures that any concerns that arise are resolved quickly, clearly and with transparency.”

Under the legislation, the Board of Elections would issue a written determination of whether there is an instance of forgery and whether a candidate would qualify on the ballot regardless of forgery allegations.
It  would take effect in 2025.

The Board of Elections — which already carried out a similar process when forgery was suspected on nomination papers for presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy — is in the process of creating rules and regulations on this issue to ensure there is a process in place for this summer’s signature period.

Still, codifying it into state law would provide clarity, permanence and provide the public with confidence in the election system.

“This legislation codifies a clear, direct process through which any question regarding the validity of nomination papers can be quickly reviewed and addressed in a transparent manner – making sure there is no room for doubt in the security of this important elections process,” said Amore.

In addition, the House passed a bill (2024-H 7756A) sponsored by Rep. Matthew Dawson which would eliminate the requirement of signing with an “X” on mail ballot applications for voters who cannot sign their name due to blindness, disability or inability to read or write.

“No one should ever be prevented from voting due to a disability and this bill will make the process of voting easier for voters who have issues preventing them from filling out a mail ballot application. It also will bring transparency to the process to ensure that voter fraud cannot be accomplished by taking advantage of these particular voters. This is a good bill that supports our state’s voters who need help acquiring their mail ballot while also protecting the integrity of our elections,” said Dawson (D-Dist-65, East Providence), who won his seat in 2022 when his predecessor Amore was elected Secretary of State.

The bill amends the current law by allowing an individual with blindness, disability, or inability to read or write, or their assistant, to mark a box on the mail ballot application to indicate the voter cannot sign due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write.

The full name, residence address, signature, and optionally the telephone number and e-mail address, of the person who helped the voter must be included on a form provided by the Secretary of State. The representation relating to the voter’s inability to sign would be made under the pains and penalties of perjury.

It would also establish a three-day transmittal period after the deadline for local boards to accept mail ballot applications, if the application is delivered via the Postal Service.

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration where Sen. Jonathon Acosta (D-Dist. 16, Central Falls, Pawtucket) has introduced corresponding legislation (2024-S 2778).