Rhode Island General Laws Title 17. Elections § 17-14-13. Objections to eligibility of candidate or sufficiency of papers

When nomination papers have been duly filed and are in apparent conformity with § 17-14-11, they shall be conclusively presumed to be valid, unless written objections to them are made as to the eligibility of the candidate or the sufficiency of the nomination papers or the signatures on them. All objections shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state or of the local board, as the case may be, by four o'clock (4:00) p.m. on the next business day after the last day fixed for filing nomination papers in the appropriate office as provided in this chapter. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the secretary of state or the local board, as the case may be, from disqualifying a candidate based on the determination of the secretary of state or the local board, acting on its own motion, that the candidate is ineligible or the nomination papers or the signatures on them are invalid or insufficient.