2023 -- H 5460

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LC000832

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- VOTING DISTRICTS AND OFFICIALS -- POLLING PLACE

CAP

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Baginski, Noret, Potter, and Edwards

     Date Introduced: February 08, 2023

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-11-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-11 entitled "Voting

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Districts and Officials" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-11-1. Division of towns and representative district into voting districts.

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     (a) The local board of any city or town may, on or before the sixtieth (60th) day preceding

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any election, divide or redivide the city or town, or any representative district in the city or town,

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into voting districts. The local board of each city or town shall determine voting districts by

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geographical boundaries and by no other means. No voting district shall at any time comprise parts

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of two (2) or more wards. It shall be the duty of the board to divide the city or town, representative

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district, or ward, so that substantially not more than three thousand (3000) three thousand five

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hundred (3,500) total eligible registered voters shall be served by the same polling place; provided,

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however, that any divisions conducted by the local board pursuant to this section shall not result in

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creating a polling place serving less than five hundred (500) total eligible registered voters, except

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when a polling place is located in a low-income or elderly residential development, or when it is

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caused by legislative district boundaries; and provided, further, that no existing polling place which

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is presently located in a low-income or elderly residential development shall be eliminated. Upon

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the establishment and approval of any polling place by the state board, changes to the polling place

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shall not be allowed until the next redistricting by the general assembly, unless the polling place

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becomes unavailable to the city or town, or no longer meets polling place minimum requirements

 

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as established by the state board, then the city or town may take the appropriate action to replace

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the polling place. A polling place may be located either within or without the voting district for

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which it is established; provided, that a polling place may be located outside the district only upon

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unanimous determination of the local board and subject to the approval of the state board that a

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suitable place is not available within the voting district.

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     (b) Uniform standards for polling place location. When cities and towns shall, subject to

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the approval of the state board, designate polling locations in accordance with the provisions of this

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section and ยง 17-19-3.2, they shall take into account the following factors:

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     (1) Accessibility of the polling place to historically disenfranchised communities,

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including cultural groups, ethnic groups, and minority groups;

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     (2) Proximity of polling places to dense concentrations of voters;

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     (3) Accessibility of polling places by public transportation;

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     (4) Ensuring equitable distribution of polling places in the city or town; and

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     (5) Maximizing voter participation, including through the use of community centers and

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public gathering places as polling places.

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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 -- VOTING DISTRICTS AND OFFICIALS -- POLLING PLACE

CAP

***

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     This act would increase the maximum number of voters that a polling place can

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accommodate from three thousand (3,000) to three thousand five hundred (3,500) and would

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provide factors to consider when designating polling locations, taking into account accessibility of

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the polling location to disenfranchised communities, proximity to dense concentration of voters,

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accessibility to public transportation and maximizing voter participation.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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