2019 -- S 0704

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LC000035

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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: Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis

     Date Introduced: March 21, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-9.1-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled

"Registration of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-9.1-23. Party designation.

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

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

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

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

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

canvassers and designating his or her party affiliation and certifying to the fact on the form

furnished for that purpose.

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

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

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

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

signing of nomination papers.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC000035

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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 non-affiliated party voters to vote in party primaries without

becoming an affiliated party voter.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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