A  N     A   C   T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 17-9.1-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled "Registration of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows:

17-9.1-24. Change of designation - (a) Any person who has designated his or her party affiliation pursuant to section 17-9.1-23 may change the designation on or before the ninetieth (90th) day preceding any primary election for which the person is eligible. Whenever any person shall desire to change his or her party designation, that person shall appear before the local board of the city or town in which that person has his or her "residence" as defined in section 17-1-3.1, or before the clerk or other duly authorized agent of the board, and shall change his or her party designation and, after the information has been recorded on the form furnished for that purpose, the person shall sign his or her name and thereby certify to the truth of the facts recorded in the appropriate spaces in the form; or the person shall furnish an affidavit properly executed and signed by him or her to the board directing the board to change the party designation; provided, however, whenever any person shall be unable to sign his or her name because of physical incapacity or otherwise, that person shall make his or her mark "(X)", which shall be witnessed by the person receiving the registration. For the convenience of persons voting at a primary election, affidavits for changing party designation shall be available at all primary polling places; provided, that the presence of the affidavits at the primary polling place shall not be construed to allow a person to change his or her party designation within ninety (90) days preceding the primary election.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall be retroactive to January 1, 2000.