2019 -- S 0326

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LC000658

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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 ELECTIONS - PRIMARIES

     

     Introduced By: Senators Bell, Nesselbush, Valverde, and Satchell

     Date Introduced: February 13, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-15-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary

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Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-15-8. Listing of candidates on ballots.

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     The secretary of state shall immediately, upon receipt of the certificates provided for by

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chapter 14 of this title, cause the proper ballots to be prepared for use in the various voting

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districts. Names of party candidates for a particular office shall be printed vertically below the

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names of the office they seek and shall not appear on the ballot more than once for the same

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office; provided, the names of candidates having the endorsement of their party committees shall

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be printed first below the title of the offices they seek and shall be marked with an asterisk (*). As

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to each candidate, following the endorsed party candidate, for a national office, a general office

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within the state, or for a general assembly office, the names shall be listed in an order chosen by

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lot under the direction of the secretary of state. As to each candidate, following the endorsed party

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candidate, for a city, town, or other local election, the names shall be listed alphabetically after

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the name of the endorsed party candidate. In the event that there are more candidates for a

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particular office than the voting machine can accommodate in the vertical column, the names

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shall be continued in the same manner in the next succeeding vertical column. Names of

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candidates shall be printed upon the ballots as the names appear on the voting list,

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notwithstanding that the candidate may have signed his or her declaration of candidacy other than

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as the candidate's name appears on the voting list.

 

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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 - PRIMARIES

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     This act would require that on all primaries, the candidate's names would be listed in an

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order chosen by lot under the direction of the secretary of state.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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