2015 -- H 5622

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LC001592

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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 - ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Marcello, Tanzi, Regunberg, and Hearn

     Date Introduced: February 25, 2015

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 17-9.1 of the General Laws entitled "Registration of Voters" is

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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     17-9.1-34. Electronic registration of voters. -- (a) The secretary of state shall establish

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and maintain a system for online voter registration. Such system shall also permit a registered

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elector to apply for changes to such elector's registration. An applicant may register to vote

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through this system, provided the applicant's registration information is verifiable in the manner

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described in subsection (b) of this section, and his or her signature is in a database described in

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subsection (b) such signature may be imported into such system for online voter registration.

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     (b) A state agency, upon the request of the secretary of state shall provide any

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information the secretary of state deems necessary to maintain the system for online voter

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registration. The secretary of state may cross reference the information input into the system by

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applicants with data or information contained in any state agency's database or a database

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administered by the federal government, or any voter registration database of another state, in

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order to verify the information submitted by applicants. The secretary of state shall not use the

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information obtained from any such database except to verify information submitted by the

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applicant, provided the applicant's signature, if part of data contained in the state agency's

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database, shall be included as part of the applicant's information contained in the system for

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online voter registration.

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     (c) The submission of an online application shall contain all of the information that is

 

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required for an application under ยง 17-9.1-1, except that a signature shall be obtained from

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another state agency's database pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.

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     (d) In order for an applicant's registration or change in registration to be approved, the

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applicant shall mark the box associated with the following statement included as part of the

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online application:

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     "By clicking on the box below, I swear or affirm all of the following under penalty of

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perjury:

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     (1) I am the person whose name and identifying information is provided on this form, and

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I desire to register to vote in the state of Rhode Island.

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     (2) All of the information I have provided on this form is true and correct as of the date I

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am submitting this form.

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     (3) I authorize the division of motor vehicles or other Rhode Island state agency to

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transmit to the secretary of state or my city or town's board of canvassers my signature that is on

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file with such agency and understand that such signature will be used by the secretary of state or

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my city or town's board of canvassers on this online application for admission as an elector as if I

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had signed this form personally."

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     (e) Upon approval of such application, the secretary of state shall send a notice of

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approval to the elector.

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     (f) If an applicant registers to vote pursuant to the provisions of this section after the

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fourteenth day before an election or after the fifth day before a primary, the privileges of an

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elector shall not attach until the day after such election or primary, as the case may be. In such

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event, the secretary of state may contact such applicant, either by telephone or mail, in order to

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inform such applicant of the effect of such late received application and any applicable deadline

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for applying for admission in person.

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     (g) The secretary of state may enter into an agreement to share information or data with

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any other state in order to maintain the voter registration system. If an agency of this state,

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another state or the federal government provides the secretary of state with information or data to

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be used to maintain such system, the secretary of state shall not use such information or data for

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any purpose except to maintain such system and shall ensure that such information or data is held

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confidential if such information or data, while in the possession of such other agency or state or

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federal government, as applicable, was required to be held confidential.

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     (h) The secretary of state may provide such information or data to a nonpartisan third-

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party vendor for the purpose of maintaining the electronic voter registration system, provided

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such vendor's activities are performed under the supervision of the secretary of state and such

 

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vendor has entered into an agreement to protect the confidentiality of such information or data.

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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 - ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION

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     This act would authorize the state secretary of state to create and administer an electronic

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voter registration system.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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