2022 -- H 7253

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LC003897

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - PRIMARY ELECTIONS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives McGaw, Morales, Cassar, Henries, and Felix

     Date Introduced: January 28, 2022

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     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 districts.

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

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office they seek and shall not appear on the ballot more than once for the same office.; provided,

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the names of candidates having the endorsement of their party committees shall be printed first

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

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candidate, following the endorsed party candidate, for a national office, a general office within the

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

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

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

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the endorsed party candidate. In the event that there are more candidates for a particular office than

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the voting machine can accommodate in the vertical column, the names shall be continued in the

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same manner in the next succeeding vertical column. Names of candidates shall be printed upon

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the ballots as the names appear on the voting list, notwithstanding that the candidate may have

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signed his or her declaration of candidacy other than as the candidate's name appears on the voting

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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 - PRIMARY ELECTIONS

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     This act would require that for all primaries, the candidates' names would be listed on the

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ballot, in an 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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LC003897

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