How to run in Rhode Island, 2028
What it takes to get on Rhode Island's 2028 ballot for the U.S. House or President, from the state's election office and laws. Rhode Island has no U.S. Senate seat up in 2028.
U.S. House
Who can run
- At least 25 years old
- A U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
- Living in the state when elected (the Constitution doesn't require living in the district)
- To file a Declaration of Candidacy the candidate must be a registered Rhode Island voter; a U.S. Representative candidate must live in Rhode Island but not necessarily in the district. The declaration includes signed certifications that the candidate is not serving a felony sentence (including probation or parole) and has not been adjudicated non compos mentis. source
Getting on the Rhode Island ballot
| Where to file | Declaration of Candidacy: Rhode Island Department of State, Elections Division, 148 W. River St., Providence (R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-14-1). Nomination papers are picked up from the Department of State and returned to the local board of canvassers of the city or town where the signers are registered (§ 17-14-11). |
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| When | Declarations are filed during the last consecutive Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in June of the even year, by 4:00 p.m. on the last day (§ 17-14-1): June 26-28, 2028. Signed nomination papers are due to local boards by 4:00 p.m. on the 60th day before the primary (§ 17-14-11). The primary is the eighth Tuesday before the general election (§ 17-15-1), September 12, 2028, so nomination papers are due July 14, 2028. (expected: follows state law; the 2028 calendar isn't published yet) |
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| How | Complete the Declaration of Candidacy (SOS form), print and sign it with an original signature as the name appears on the voting list, and deliver or mail it so it is received by the deadline; faxed or emailed forms are not accepted. The declaration states party (if running in a primary), office, place and date of birth, and length of residence. The SOS then prepares nomination papers; each circulator signs a notarized affidavit on each paper (§ 17-14-10). A party candidate must be a member of that party or unaffiliated when filing, and must not have been a member of another party within 90 days of filing (§ 17-14-1.1); in 2026 the disaffiliation deadline was March 26. A voter may file a declaration for only one public office. |
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| Fee | No filing fee is listed in the Department of State's 2026 Run for Office guide or in the sections of R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 17-14 read. |
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| Petition instead | Nomination papers signed by at least 500 voters for Representative in Congress, for both party-primary and independent candidates (§ 17-14-7(b)); voters from different cities/towns must sign separate sheets (§ 17-14-8). Independent (unaffiliated) candidates file the same June declaration and the same 500-signature nomination papers by the same July deadline, and appear on the November ballot. |
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Official filing information · U.S. Constitution
President
Who can run: At least 35 years old; A natural-born U.S. citizen; A U.S. resident for at least 14 years (U.S. Constitution).
Getting on Rhode Island's presidential primary ballot
| How | A candidate seeking a national party's endorsement files a written notification of intent with the Secretary of State (R.I. Gen. Laws 17-12.1-4(a)). It must include the candidate's name and address, a statement affirming eligibility to serve as President, and the name and contact information of a designee authorized to act for the candidate in Rhode Island. The same day, the Secretary of State prepares petition papers marked with the candidate's name and party. The candidate collects signatures on those papers. The presidential preference primary is held with the national-convention delegate primary on the fourth Tuesday in April every fourth year from 2012 (17-12.1-1, 17-12.1-8): April 25, 2028. (A one-time 2024 exception moved that year's primary to April 2.) |
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| Where | Notification: Rhode Island Department of State (Secretary of State), Elections Division. Signed petition papers go to the local board of canvassers of the city or town where the signers are registered. The local boards certify them to the Secretary of State. |
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| When | Notification of intent: the 96th through the 94th day before the primary, January 20-22, 2028. January 22 is a Saturday, and on a Saturday deadline filing is allowed until noon. Petition papers are due at the local boards by 4:00 p.m. on the 82nd day before the primary: February 3, 2028. Local certification is due by the 69th day (February 16, 2028). A candidate may ask to be kept off the ballot by affidavit at least 63 days before the primary (February 22, 2028). (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | None in R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 17-12.1. |
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| Petition | At least 1,000 eligible voters in the aggregate (17-12.1-4(b)(2)). |
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Sources: webserver.rilegislature.gov · webserver.rilegislature.gov (2) · webserver.rilegislature.gov (3)
Running as an independent in November
| How | Rhode Island places an independent presidential candidate on the ballot through that candidate's independent presidential electors (Department of State regulation 100-RICR-20-00-1, sec. 1.5). Up to four people seeking to be the candidate's electors each file a separate Declaration of Candidacy on the Department of State form. During the same filing period, the presidential candidate, or the independent political organization if no candidate is yet named, files a statement naming the approved elector candidates. The Department prepares nomination papers within two business days after the endorsement deadline (17-14-4). The papers list the electors and the organization's name, and electors pick them up from the Elections Division. The ballot shows the organization's name, or 'Independent' if none is listed. |
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| Where | Declarations and the elector statement: Rhode Island Department of State, Elections Division. Signed nomination papers: the local board of canvassers in each signer's city or town. |
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| When | Elector declarations of candidacy: the last consecutive Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in June, June 26-28, 2028 (17-14-1; regulation sec. 1.5(A)). Nomination papers with signatures are due no later than 60 days before the general election, September 8, 2028 (17-14-11(a)). The names of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates are due to the Department no later than 54 days before the election, September 14, 2028 (regulation sec. 1.5(D)). (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | None stated in statute or regulation. |
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| Petition | At least 1,000 signatures of qualified voters in the aggregate (17-14-7(a); regulation sec. 1.5(C)). Signatures are checked by the local boards against the voting list. |
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| Also | The elector candidates (up to Rhode Island's four) are named at the June declaration stage and printed on the nomination papers. The vice-presidential candidate can be named later, by the 54-day deadline. |
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Sources: rules.sos.ri.gov · webserver.rilegislature.gov · webserver.rilegislature.gov (2) · webserver.rilegislature.gov (3)
Campaign money
- Once you raise or spend more than $5,000, file a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2) within 15 days.
- Your campaign committee then files a Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1) within 10 days and reports to the FEC.
FEC: registering as a candidate · FEC campaign guides
Checked November 4, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with Rhode Island's election office and the FEC before you file. ← All states
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