SECTION 1. Section 17-11-15 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-11 entitled "Voting Districts and Officials" is hereby amended to read as follows:

17-11-15. Persons ineligible to serve as election officials. -- No person shall be appointed or serve as an election official who has been convicted, found guilty, pleaded guilty or nolo contendere, or placed on a deferred or suspended sentence, or on probation, for any crime which involves moral turpitude or which constitutes a violation of any of the election or caucus laws of this or any other state. No person shall be appointed to serve as an election official who is an officer or employee of the United States, of this state, or of any city or town of this state; provided, that persons who are more than sixty-two (62) years of age who work less than twenty (20) hours per week for federal, state, or municipal governments can work as election officials. No person shall be disqualified simply because he or she is a notary public. No candidate for any office to be filled at any election shall be appointed at the election as an election official. Every election official shall make an affidavit before some member of the proper board of canvassers, to the effect that he or she is not disqualified by reason of the provisions of this section; provided, that the provisions of this section do not apply to moderators and town clerks.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.