2019 -- H 5764 SUBSTITUTE A

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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 ELECTION - NOMINATION - DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY -

PRIMARY VOTES

     Introduced By: Representatives Alzate, Casimiro, Kazarian, Mendez, and Cassar

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Secretary of State)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-14-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-14 entitled

"Nomination of Party and Independent Candidates" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-14-11. Checking and certification of nomination papers -- Challenge.

     Each nomination paper for party and independent candidates shall be submitted before

four o'clock (4:00) p.m. on the sixtieth (60th) day before the primary to the local board of the city

or town where the signers appear to be voters or, in the case of special elections, on the twenty-

eighth (28th) day before the primary. Nomination papers for independent presidential candidates

and presidential candidates of political parties, other than those defined in § 17-1-2(9), shall be

filed not later than sixty (60) days prior to the general election. Each local board shall

immediately proceed to check signatures on each nomination paper filed with it against the voting

list as last canvassed or published according to law. In the case of candidates for statewide office,

the local boards shall certify the number of names appearing on the nomination papers that are in

conformity with the requirements of § 17-14-8, and after considering any challenge under this

section, shall immediately file all nomination papers for the officers with the secretary of state. In

the case of all other candidates, the The local boards shall certify a sufficient number of names

appearing on the nomination papers that are in conformity with the requirements of § 17-14-8 to

qualify the candidate for a position on the ballot, and after considering any challenge under this

section and, if necessary, certifying any additional valid names, shall immediately file nomination

papers for statewide office, general assembly and state and district committee candidates with the

secretary of state; provided, that nomination papers for local candidates shall be retained by the

local board. If any candidate or the chairperson of any party committee questions the validity or

authenticity of any signature on the nomination paper, the local board shall immediately and

summarily decide the question, and for this purpose, shall have the same powers as are conferred

upon the board by the provisions of § 17-14-14. If any challenged signature is found to be invalid,

for any reason in law, or forged, then the signature shall not be counted.

     SECTION 2. Section 17-15-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary

Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-15-1. Date of primaries.

     A primary election for the nomination of candidates for each political party shall be held

in each voting district in the manner provided in this chapter on the second Tuesday after the first

Monday in September in each even numbered year eighth Tuesday preceding biennial state

elections.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2020.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTION - NOMINATION - DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY -

PRIMARY VOTES

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     This act would move the date of primaries to the eighth Tuesday preceding biennial state

elections.

     This act would take effect on January 1, 2020.

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