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Two weeks ago, the state of Rhode Island agreed to eliminate witness/notary requirements for vote by mail throughout the 2020 elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in a consent decree resolving a lawsuit. Today, the Republican National Committee and the Rhode Island Republican Party sought a stay of that consent decree from the U.S. Supreme Court.   

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The state of Rhode Island has agreed to eliminate witness/notary requirements for vote by mail throughout the 2020 elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A court signed off on the agreement tonight.

The lawsuit seeks to block provisions of a state law that require Rhode Islanders who vote by mail to have two witnesses or a notary sign their ballot envelope, even in the midst of a highly contagious and deadly pandemic. These requirements necessitate face-to-face and hand-to-hand interaction between voters and others who pose a potentially fatal risk to the voters’ health.

Following on the June 2 presidential primary, which saw 83% of all votes cast by mail, a coalition of Rhode Island organizations today announced legislation to implement mail-based voting in the September 8 state primary and the November 3 general election.