2013 -- S 0769

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LC01704

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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 - ELECTIVE MEETINGS

     Introduced By: Senators Lynch, and Paiva Weed

     Date Introduced: March 13, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 17-18 of the General Laws entitled "Elective Meetings" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     17-18-10.1. Early voting. -- (a) In person early voting shall be made available to any

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registered and eligible voter for primary elections, special elections and general elections.

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     (b) In-person early voting shall begin on the third Thursday before an election and end on

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the last Friday before a scheduled election, and shall not include Saturdays and Sundays;

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provided, however, that in the event one of the days scheduled for early voting falls on a legal

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holiday, the early voting period shall commence the third Wednesday before an election and early

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voting shall not take place on the legal holiday.

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     (c) During the early voting period as set forth in subsection (b) above, early voting shall

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take place at a location to be determined by each local board and approved by the state board of

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elections provided that adequate notice shall be posted at the local board's office informing the

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public of the location where early voting is being conducted. Early voting shall commence daily

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not later than 9:00 a.m. and close no earlier than 4:30 p.m.

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     (d) Prior to the in-person early voting period, the state board shall provide the local

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boards with the ballots, certified envelopes for enclosing ballots, ballot boxes, voting instructions

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and other supplies necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section.

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     (e) The local board shall provide a ballot and ballot envelope to any in-person early voter

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who provides positive proof of identity as required by section 17-19-24.2. The in-person early

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voter shall be provided with a voting booth identical to the voting booths used on the regularly

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scheduled election days. Once the in-person early voter has completed the ballot, the early voter

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shall place the ballot in the ballot envelope and seal the envelope. An official of the local board

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shall mark the envelope with the appropriate voting precinct designation and return the envelope

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to the in-person early voter. The in-person early voter shall place the envelope in the ballot box.

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     (f) The ballot boxes shall be locked and sealed and the keys shall remain in the

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possession of a designated official of the state board according to a plan for implementation

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provided by the state board of elections. An official from the state board shall collect the contents

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of the ballot boxes periodically after in-person early voting ends on each day, and in no event

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later than midnight on the day before the election, and shall transfer the ballots to the office of the

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state board for counting and tabulating purposes in the same manner as mail ballots pursuant to

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section 17-20-26.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01704

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - ELECTIVE MEETINGS

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     This act would allow early in-person voting prior to all primary, special and general

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elections.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01704

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