2018 -- S 2798

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LC005319

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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 -- MAIL BALLOTS

     Introduced By: Senator Dawn M. Euer

     Date Introduced: April 05, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (Board of Elections)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 17-20-8 and 17-20-25 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-20

entitled "Mail Ballots" are hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-20-8. Application for ballot.

     (a) Whenever any person is unable to sign his or her name because of physical incapacity

or otherwise, that person shall make his or her mark "X".

     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter as to time and manner thereof, it

shall be the duty of the applicant to cause the mail ballot application or the emergency mail ballot

application, as the case may be, to be processed by the local board so that the applicant may

receive the ballot, cast it, and cause delivery thereof to be made to the state board not later than

nine o'clock (9:00) eight o'clock (8:00) p.m. on the date of election.

     (c) The local board shall maintain a separate list of names and addresses of all applicants

and their subscribing witnesses and a copy of the list shall be made available for inspection to any

person upon request.

     (d) Any person knowingly and willfully making a false application or certification or

knowingly and willfully aiding and abetting in the making of a false application or certification

shall be guilty of a felony.

     17-20-25. Return of unused ballots.

     Every voter who has received a mail ballot and has not cast it shall nevertheless return the

unvoted ballot and its uncertified enclosing envelope to the state board or local board with a

statement that the voter is not using the mail ballot, before nine o'clock (9:00) eight o'clock (8:00)

p.m. on election day.

     SECTION 2. Section 17-22-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-22 entitled "Tabulation

and Certification of Returns by State Board" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-22-1. Commencement and continuance of tabulations.

     The state board shall commence the counting, canvassing, and tabulating of all votes cast,

including mail ballots, at nine o'clock (9:00) eight o'clock (8:00) p.m. on any election day at

which mail ballots may be cast and within twenty-four (24) hours after any other election or

primary, and shall continue and complete the tabulation with all reasonable expedition by using

an optical scan count system.

     SECTION 3. 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 -- MAIL BALLOTS

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     This act would amend the time within which mail ballots must be returned to the state

board of elections and the time to commence the counting of mail ballots on election day, from

nine o'clock (9:00) p.m. to eight o'clock (8:00) p.m.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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