Participation in Rhode Island's delegate selection process is open to all voters who wish to participate as Democrats. Registered Democrats and unaffiliated voters may participate in the primary election. Unaffiliated voters become affiliated with the Democratic Party by voting in the Democratic Primary.

Tuesday 26 April 2016 (presumably): Rhode Island Primary. Hours 7:00a-8:00p EDT (1100-0000 UTC). Polls open 7a to late as 12 noon by location for Presidential Primaries. Delegate Pledging: Proportional Primary. Voter Eligibility: Modified Primary.

Primary
Source: Rhode Island Board of Elections.
Status: Official. Retrieved: Thursday 5 May 2016.
Included in Nationwide vote.

Tuesday 26 April 2016 (presumably): 24 of 33 delegates to the Democratic National Convention are pledged to presidential contenders based on the results of the voting in today's Rhode Island Presidential Primary. A mandatory 15 percent threshold is required in order for a presidential contender to be pledged National Convention delegates at either the congressional district or statewide level. How the Democratic Proportional Delegate Allocation Math works.

• 15 district delegates are to be pledged proportionally to presidential contenders based on the primary results in each of the State's 2 congressional districts.
• In addition, 9 delegates are to be pledged to presidential contenders based on the primary vote statewide.
  • 6 at-large National Convention delegates
  • 3 Pledged PLEOs

Primary
Source: Email from the Rhode Island Board of Elections.
Status: Official. Retrieved: Friday 6 May 2016.

District Delegate candidates, along with their Presidential Preference, appear on the primary ballot. After determining the number of delegates each Presidential Preference will receive, the individual delegates are selected from among the highest votes getters for each Preference.

Wednesday 25 May 2016: State Convention convenes. The State Democratic Committee elects the 3 Pledged PLEO delegates according to the results of the primary.

Friday 10 June 2016: Special Post Primary Caucus. The State Committee holds a special post primary caucus to select additional delegates in the event a Presidential candidate qualified to receive delegates but has not slated a sufficient number.

Monday 13 June 2016 (presumably): National Convention delegation meeting.

The 6 National Convention At-Large delegates are elected by the Rhode Island Democratic State Committee according to the results of the primary.

The remaining 9 National Convention delegates consist of

• 9 Unpledged PLEO delegates:
• 4 Democratic National Committee members.
• 4 Members of Congress (2 Senators and 2 Representatives).
• 1 Governor.
• 0 Distinguished Party Leaders.

These 9 delegates and will go to the Democratic National Convention officially "Unpledged".

House Bill 6054 introduced Representative Brian C. Newberry (Republican) on 9 April 2015, would move the Presidential Primary from the 4th Tuesday in April to the 4thTuesday in March.