2013 -- S 0330

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LC01045

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Walaska, Pichardo, and Cote

     Date Introduced: February 13, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 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 person participates in a party primary, that act shall serve as

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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. For the

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purposes of this section, "participating in a party primary" does not include the circulation or

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signing of nomination papers.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01045

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

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     This act would allow non-affiliated party voters to vote in party primaries without

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becoming an affiliated party voter.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01045

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