Eight Rhode Island representatives have introduced HB 5721, which would move the non-presidential primary from eight weeks before the general election to the last Tuesday in August. That would move the primary two weeks earlier.

If the bill were enacted, it would also move the petition deadline for non-presidential independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, two weeks earlier, because the date of those petitions is tied to the date of the primary. However, there would be no impact on the deadline for independent presidential candidates, because the presidential deadline is not keyed to the primary date.