2016 -- S 2311

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LC003096

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Cote, E O`Neill, Pagliarini, and Morgan

     Date Introduced: February 09, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-9.1-24 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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     17-9.1-24. Change of designation. -- (a) Any person who has designated his or her party

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affiliation pursuant to § 17-9.1-23 may change the designation on or before the ninetieth (90th)

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twenty-ninth day preceding any primary election for which the person is eligible. Whenever any

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person desires to change his or her party designation, that person shall appear before the local

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board of the city or town in which that person has his or her residence, as defined in § 17-1-3.1,

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or before the clerk or other duly authorized agent of the board, and shall change his or her party

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designation and, after the information has been recorded on the form furnished for that purpose,

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the person shall sign his or her name and certify to the truth of the facts recorded in the

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appropriate spaces in the form; or the person shall furnish an affidavit properly executed and

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signed by him or her to the board directing the board to change the party designation. Whenever

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any person is unable to sign his or her name because of physical incapacity or otherwise, that

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person shall make his or her mark "(X)", which shall be witnessed by the person receiving the

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registration. For the convenience of persons voting at a primary election, affidavits for changing

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party designation shall be available at all primary polling places. The presence of the affidavits at

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the primary polling place shall not be construed to allow a person to change his or her party

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designation within ninety (90) twenty-nine (29) days preceding the primary election.

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      (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, affidavits for

 

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changing party designation which are executed by voters at polling places immediately after

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voting in primary elections conducted in the city of Warwick in January, 2000, shall take effect

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immediately.

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      (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, affidavits for

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changing party designation which are executed by voters at polling places immediately after

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voting in primary elections conducted in senate district 20 comprising parts of the city of

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Woonsocket and town of Cumberland in March, 2008, shall take effect immediately.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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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 change the period of time a voter may have to change their party

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affiliation from the ninetieth day preceding any primary election for which the voter is eligible to

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the twenty-ninth day preceding any primary election for which the voter is eligible.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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