2018 -- H 7262

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LC003934

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- LOCAL CANVASSING AUTHORITIES

     Introduced By: Representatives Cunha, Shekarchi, Maldonado, and Tobon

     Date Introduced: January 24, 2018

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-8-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-8 entitled "Local

Canvassing Authorities" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-8-1. Appointment of bipartisan authority.

     (a) The legislative body of each city and town shall appoint a bipartisan canvassing

authority of three (3) qualified electors of the city or town, not more than two (2) of whom shall

belong to the same political party, and may appoint two (2) alternate members, not more than one

of whom shall belong to the same political party. At any meeting of the canvassing authority at

which a member is to be absent, the member may request that an alternate replace him or her for

that meeting; provided, that the alternate member must be of the same political party as the

member. The mayor, or the president of the town council if there is no mayor, shall nominate the

members of the canvassing authority from lists of party voters submitted by the respective

chairpersons of the city or town political committee, which lists shall contain the names of five

(5) times the number of persons to be appointed. If the legislative body refuses to approve the

nomination of any person to the canvassing authority, the mayor, or the president if there is no

mayor, shall submit to the legislative body another person named on one of the lists, and so on

until a person is appointed. If the chairperson of the city or town committee of a political party

entitled to an appointment fails or refuses to submit a list, the mayor, or the president if there is

no mayor, shall nominate any party voter of the political party entitled to the appointment.

     (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, in the town of North

Providence the president of the town council shall be vested with the authority to nominate

canvassing authority members pursuant to this section.

     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 -- LOCAL CANVASSING AUTHORITIES

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     This act would clarify who has the authority to nominate the members of a local

canvassing authority.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC003934

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