The bill proposes amendments to Chapter 17-20 of the General Laws, titled "Mail Ballots," to modify the requirements for the validity of mail ballots and applications. It removes the term "physical incapacity" and replaces it with "blindness, disability, or inability to read or write" to accommodate a broader range of voters who are unable to sign their names. In such cases, the voter or their assistant must check a box indicating the voter's inability to sign and provide the assistant's full name, address, signature, and optionally their phone number and email address, under the pains and penalties of perjury. The bill also allows for mail ballot applications postmarked by the twenty-first day before an election and received no later than eighteen days before to be considered timely. It redefines terms related to overseas employment, military operations, and changes "emergency" voting to "early" voting.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that voters can apply for mail ballots electronically and outlines the process for certifying applications and issuing ballots, including the involvement of the local board and the secretary of state. It requires the secretary of state to issue and mail ballots, provide lists of mail ballot recipients to political parties and candidates, and address undeliverable ballots. Emergency mail ballot applications must be certified and delivered as directed by the state board or its staff. The bill prescribes the application form for receiving a mail ballot, including the state abbreviation "RI" for Rhode Island, and introduces a new section, 17-20-21, detailing the procedure for sealing and certifying returned mail ballots. It eliminates the requirement for voters who cannot sign to make an "X" mark, instead providing provisions for indicating assistance. The bill would take effect upon passage and sets a timeframe for local boards to accept mail ballot applications via postal service.