Chapter 141
2019 -- S 0589 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED
Enacted 07/08/2019

A N   A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- VOTER REGISTRATION

Introduced By: Senator Mark P. McKenney
Date Introduced: March 14, 2019

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Sections 17-9.1-23 and 17-9.1-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1
entitled "Registration of Voters" are 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 submitting to that person's local
board of canvassers and a form provided by the state board 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.
     17-9.1-24. Change of designation.
     (a) Any person who has designated his or her party affiliation pursuant to § 17-9.1-23
may change the designation on or before the ninetieth (90th) thirtieth day preceding any primary
election for which the person is eligible. Whenever any person desires to change his or her party
designation, that person shall appear before submit to the local board of the city or town in which
that person has his or her residence, as defined in § 17-1-3.1, or before the clerk or other duly
authorized agent of the board, and shall change his or her party designation and, after the
information has been recorded on the form furnished for that purpose, the person shall sign his or
her name and certify to the truth of the facts recorded in the appropriate spaces in the form; or the
person shall furnish an affidavit properly executed and signed by him or her to the board directing
the board to change the party designation. 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)", which
shall be witnessed by the person receiving the registration. For the convenience of persons voting
at a primary election, affidavits forms for changing party designation shall be available at all
primary polling places. The presence of the affidavits forms at the primary polling place shall not
be construed to allow a person to change his or her party designation within ninety (90) thirty
(30) days preceding the primary election.
     (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, affidavits for
changing party designation which are executed by voters at polling places immediately after
voting in primary elections conducted in the city of Warwick in January, 2000, shall take effect
immediately.
     (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, affidavits for
changing party designation which are executed by voters at polling places immediately after
voting in primary elections conducted in senate district 20 comprising parts of the city of
Woonsocket and town of Cumberland in March, 2008, shall take effect immediately.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC001541/SUB A
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