Board of Elections backs moving R.I. primaries to last Tuesday in August – The Boston Globe

Amore testified before the board, and said the state’s current primary schedule makes it difficult to deal with recounts or election challenges while still complying with the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, which requires states to send absentee ballots to overseas voters at least 45 days before any election, including primaries.

“Because of the nature of our calendar, it basically gives us a week to deal with all challenges, to make sure that we can provide a ballot that is accurate and get it to our overseas Rhode Islanders, many of whom are serving in the military,” Amore said. “Any deviation of that calendar — a challenge, litigation, multiple recounts — would put us in violation of the MOVE Act. It is a significant concern of ours.”

He noted that the Board of Elections faced pressure to meet the 45-day absentee ballot deadline last year when several municipalities reported fraudulent signatures on the nomination forms for Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos, a Democrat then running to represent Rhode Island’s First Congressional District.

Amore said his proposal would give the Board of Elections a full week to adjudicate any challenges to primary results, it would give the Department of State more time to produce up to 500 different ballots, and it would give local boards of canvassers more time to prepare and test voting machines, he said.

“We think in all of these ways, it benefits the voters of Rhode Island, it benefits the administrative process in Rhode Island, and it makes for a better election system,” he said.

Some legislators have raised concerns about moving the primaries to August, saying that many Rhode Islanders would still be focused on summer vacations and beach activities rather than politics and elections.

But Amore said 12 others states, including Connecticut, hold primaries in August, so Rhode Island would not be alone.

The proposal would include allowing candidates to declare their candidacies in May, and it would extend the period to gather nomination signatures from 10 days to three weeks, he said. “We think that will also take pressure off the system,” he said.

Amore said another section of the proposal would address issues that arose during the investigation of the nomination signatures for Matos.

For example, the bill would require local canvassing clerks to immediately notify the Board of Elections if they suspect a “consistent pattern of forgery” on the nomination papers of a local, state, or federal candidate. The board could then immediately analyze those signatures or have local officials reexamine the signatures, he said.

“But importantly, the board would also contact the 38 other cities and towns and let them know what was going on, to be aware of that situation,” Amore said. “So if we were in the midst of the process, as we were the last time around, there could be an immediate response to that.”

On July 21, the Board of Elections determined that Matos, a Providence Democrat, qualified to appear on the Sept. 5 primary ballot, basing that decision on the 730 signatures validated by local boards of canvassers — which was more than the 500 required for ballot placement.

A Board of Elections review found “no obvious pattern of fraud” in the 1,256 nomination signatures submitted for Matos. But she ended up finishing fourth in the Democratic primary for the First Congressional District seat.

On Tuesday, the board also approved entering a contract with Election Systems & Software Inc. for election support services from Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2027.

Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.