Presidential Tax Returns (H 7877, S 2612A)

The ACLU of RI has long objected to legislative efforts to impose additional qualifications on candidates to qualify for the ballot. Just as the legislature should refrain from setting unnecessary barriers in the way for people to vote, it should not add unnecessary obstacles to get on the ballot.

The ACLU lobbied against legislation introduced in direct response to the most recent Presidential election and then-candidate Donald Trump's refusal to release his tax records. By requiring Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates to disclose their five most recent federal tax returns in order to qualify for the ballot, the ACLU testified, this legislation set a dangerous precedent. The ACLU of RI has long objected to legislative efforts to impose additional qualifications on candidates to qualify for the ballot, and it is especially problematic for states to do so in the context of federal campaigns. Just as the legislature should refrain from setting unnecessary barriers in the way for people to vote, it should not add unnecessary obstacles to get on the ballot. The Senate approved this legislation in June, but it died in the House.