2019 -- S 0501

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LC001941

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Crowley, Paolino, Felag, and Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (Board of Elections)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 17-9.1-23 and 17-9.1-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1

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entitled "Registration of Voters" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-9.1-23. Party designation.

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     (a) Whenever any person registers to vote, that person may designate his or her party

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affiliation, or that person may designate that he or she is not affiliated with any political party.

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The information shall be recorded on a form prescribed by the state board of elections.

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     (b) Any person who is already registered to vote and wishes to designate his or her party

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affiliation may do so by voluntarily presenting himself or herself submitting to that person's local

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board of canvassers and a form provided by the state board designating his or her party affiliation

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and certifying to the fact on the form furnished for that purpose.

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     (c) Whenever any person participates in a party primary, that act shall serve as

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identifying the person as being affiliated with the party in whose primary that person has

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participated and the local board shall record the affiliation on the appropriate form. For the

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purposes of this section, "participating in a party primary" does not include the circulation or

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signing of nomination papers.

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     17-9.1-24. Change of designation.

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     (a) Any person who has designated his or her party affiliation pursuant to § 17-9.1-23

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may change the designation on or before the ninetieth (90th) thirtieth day preceding any primary

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election for which the person is eligible. Whenever any person desires to change his or her party

 

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designation, that person shall appear before submit to the local board of the city or town in which

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that person has his or her residence, as defined in § 17-1-3.1, or before the clerk or other duly

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authorized agent of the board, and shall change his or her party designation and, after the

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information has been recorded on the form furnished for that purpose, the person shall sign his or

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her name and certify to the truth of the facts recorded in the appropriate spaces in the form; or the

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person shall furnish an affidavit properly executed and signed by him or her to the board directing

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the board to change the party designation. Whenever any person is unable to sign his or her name

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because of physical incapacity or otherwise, that person shall make his or her mark "(X)", which

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shall be witnessed by the person receiving the registration. For the convenience of persons voting

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at a primary election, affidavits forms for changing party designation shall be available at all

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primary polling places. The presence of the affidavits forms at the primary polling place shall not

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be construed to allow a person to change his or her party designation within ninety (90) thirty

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(30) 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 allow registered voters to designate party affiliation by filing a state form

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with the local canvassing board rather than in person and to change party affiliation within thirty

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(30) days rather than ninety (90) days prior to a primary election by filing a state form rather than

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an affidavit with the local board of canvassers rather than in person.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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