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4/1/2025
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House passes Rep. Dawson’s bill to protect election workers
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STATE HOUSE – The House today passed legislation (2025-H 5300) sponsored by Rep. Matthew S. Dawson that would protect election officials and poll workers. Representative Dawson worked closely with Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore to reintroduce the legislation.
“Tensions are still running extremely high these days, but it is no excuse to threaten or intimidate our dedicated poll workers and election officials. These individuals keep our democracy going, and they in no way deserve the anger we have seen directed at them over the past few years. This bill will not only protect our electoral process, but more importantly, it will protect the people who ensure that we have free and fair elections,” said Representative Dawson (D-Dist. 65, East Providence).
“Election officials and poll workers are at the very heart of our democracy, and they deserve to do their job without fear of harassment or threats,” said Secretary of State Amore. “I thank the House of Representatives for showing their support for election officials and poll workers by once again passing this bill.”
The bill would consider election officials and poll workers “public officials” for purposes of the prohibition on making threats to public officials.
Threats to public officials constitutes knowingly and willfully delivering or conveying, directly or indirectly, a verbal or written threat to take the life of, or to inflict bodily harm upon, a public official or a member of their immediate family because of the performance or nonperformance of some public duty. Violators of the law would be guilty of a felony and shall be imprisoned for not more than five years, or fined not more than $5,000, or both.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
For more information, contact:
Andrew Caruolo, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-6124
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