2015 -- H 5304

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LC000349

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Marcello, Hearn, Fellela, Bennett, and Filippi

     Date Introduced: February 05, 2015

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-7-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-7 entitled "State Board of

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Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-7-2. Composition of board. -- There shall be, independent of every other department

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and agency of this state, a board of elections consisting of seven (7) qualified electors of this

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state, of outstanding honesty and ability and none of whom shall hold any other public office or

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be employees of persons who hold state wide public office, but no person shall be disqualified

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solely because that person is a notary public, who shall be appointed by the governor with the

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advice and consent of the senate, as provided in this chapter. The secretary of state shall be a

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nonvoting ex officio member of the board of elections.

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     SECTION 2. Section 17-19-49 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-19 entitled "Conduct

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of Election and Voting Equipment, and Supplies" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-19-49. Political literature and influence. -- (a) No poster, paper, circular, or other

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document designed or tending to aid, injure, or defeat any candidate for public office or any

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political party on any question submitted to the voters shall be distributed or displayed within the

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voting place or within fifty (50) feet of the entrance or entrances to the building in which voting is

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conducted at any primary or election. The local board of canvassers shall clearly mark this fifty

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foot (50') buffer zone at each polling place to ease enforcement of it.

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     (b) Neither shall any election official display on his or her person within the voting place

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any political party button, badge, or other device tending to aid, injure, or defeat the candidacy of

 

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any person for public office or any question submitted to the voters or to intimidate or influence

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the voters.

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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

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     This act would add the secretary of state to the board of elections as a nonvoting ex

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officio member. It would also require the board of canvassers to clearly mark the fifty foot (50')

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buffer zone at each polling place where political campaigning is prohibited.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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