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:

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

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

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     17-20-8. Application for ballot.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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person upon request.

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

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

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shall be guilty of a felony.

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     17-20-25. Return of unused ballots.

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

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

 

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

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p.m. on election day.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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an optical scan count system.

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     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

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

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

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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