2012 -- H 7089 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC00359/SUB A

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- POLITICAL PARTY DESIGNATION

     

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Brien, Marcello, O`Neill, Baldelli-Hunt, and Lally

     Date Introduced: January 11, 2012

     Referred To: House Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 17-9.1-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled

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"Registration of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-9.1-23. Party designation. -- (a) Whenever any person registers to vote, that person

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may designate his or her party affiliation, or that person may designate that he or she is not

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affiliated with any political party. The information shall be recorded on a form prescribed by the

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state board of elections.

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      (b) Any person who is already registered to vote and wishes to designate his or her party

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affiliation may do so by voluntarily presenting himself or herself to that person's local board of

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canvassers and designating his or her party affiliation and certifying to the fact on the form

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furnished for that purpose.

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     (c) Whenever any unaffiliated person participates in a party primary, that act shall serve

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as identifying the person as being affiliated with the party in whose primary that person has

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participated and the local board shall record the affiliation on the appropriate form. Provided

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however, if immediately after voting, that person executes at the poll, an affidavit changing his or

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her party designation back to unaffiliated, pursuant 17-19.1-24, that disaffiliation shall be

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effective immediately. For the purposes of this section, "participating in a party primary" does not

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include the circulation or signing of nomination papers.

     

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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

     

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LC00359/SUB A

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- POLITICAL PARTY DESIGNATION

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     This act would allow an unaffiliated voter to vote in a party primary and effective

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immediately disaffiliate at the polling place.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

     

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LC00359/SUB A

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H7089A