| Chapter 127 |
| 2015 -- S 0668 Enacted 06/25/2015 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ELECTIONS - MAIL BALLOTS |
| Introduced By: Senators McCaffrey, and Jabour |
| Date Introduced: March 11, 2015 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 17-20-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-20 entitled "Mail |
| Ballots" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 17-20-10. Certification of applications -- Issuance of ballots -- Marking of lists -- |
| Mailing address. -- (a) Upon receipt of the application, the local board shall immediately |
| examine it and determine whether it complies with each of the requirements set forth by this |
| chapter and compare the signature on the ballot application with the signature contained on the |
| original registration card, except as may be otherwise provided by law, to satisfy itself that the |
| applicant is a qualified voter. Upon determining that it does meet each requirement of this chapter |
| and that the signature appears to be the same, the local board shall mark the application |
| "accepted" and record in the space provided on the ballot application the senatorial, |
| representative, and voting district in which the applicant should vote. |
| (b) The local board shall also record the city or town code and district information in the |
| mailing label section of the mail ballot application. The local board shall also print or type the |
| name of the elector and the complete mailing address in that section. If the local board does not |
| accept the application, the local board shall return the application to the elector, together with a |
| form prescribed by the secretary of state, specifying the reason or reasons for the return of the |
| application. |
| (c) Not later than 4:00 p.m. on the eighteenth (18th) day before the day of any election |
| referred to in this chapter or within seven (7) days of receipt by the local board, whichever occurs |
| first, the local board shall certify the applications to the secretary of state through the CVRS |
| system as this procedure is prescribed by the secretary of state. Upon the certification of a mail |
| ballot application to the secretary of state, the local board shall enter on the voting list the fact |
| that a mail ballot application for the voter has been certified and shall cause the delivery of the |
| certified mail ballot applications together with the signed certified listing thereof in sealed |
| packages to the state board of elections. |
| (d) (1) Upon the ballots becoming available, the secretary of state shall immediately, |
| immediately issue and mail, by first class first-class mail, postage prepaid, a mail ballot to each |
| eligible voter who has been certified. With respect to voters who have applied for these mail |
| ballots under the provisions of subdivision ยง 17-20-2(1), the secretary of state shall include with |
| the mail ballots a stamped stamped, return envelope addressed: "Board of Elections, 50 Branch |
| Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02904-2790" to the board of elections. |
| (2) The secretary of state shall include on the mail ballot envelope a numerical or |
| alphabetical code designating the city or town where the voter resides. The secretary of state shall |
| immediately thereafter indicate on the voter's record that the secretary of state has sent mail |
| ballots provided, ballots; provided that this mark shall serve solely to indicate that a mail ballot |
| has been issued and shall not be construed as voting in the election. |
| (e) Prior to each election, the secretary of state shall also furnish to the chairperson of the |
| state committee of each political party a list of the names and residence addresses of all persons |
| to whom mail ballots have been issued. The secretary of state shall also furnish to a candidate for |
| political office upon request office, upon request, a list of the names and residence addresses of |
| all persons to whom mail ballots have been issued within his or her district. |
| (f) If a ballot is returned to the secretary of state by the postal service as undeliverable, |
| the secretary of state shall consult with the appropriate local board to determine the accuracy of |
| the mailing address, and the secretary of state shall be required to remail the ballot to the voter |
| using the corrected address provided by the local board. If the local board is unable to provide a |
| different address than that to which the ballot was originally mailed, the ballot shall be reissued |
| by the secretary of state to the board of canvassers in the city or town where the voter resides |
| utilizing the numerical or alphabetical code established in subsection (d) of this section. The |
| board shall then attempt to notify the voter at his or her place of residence that the ballot has been |
| returned as undeliverable. The ballot must be voted and witnessed in accordance with the |
| provisions of this chapter. |
| (g) The acceptance of a mail ballot application by the board of canvassers and the |
| issuance of a mail ballot by the secretary of state shall not create any presumption as to the |
| accuracy of the information provided by the applicant or as to the applicant's compliance with the |
| provisions of this chapter. Any inaccuracy in the provided information or irregularity in the |
| application may be raised as a challenge to the ballot before the board of elections at the time of |
| certification. If the challenge raised at that time is meritorious, the ballot shall be voided. |
| (h) Within two (2) business days of receipt by the local board, the board shall certify |
| emergency mail ballot applications and shall cause the delivery of the emergency mail ballot |
| applications, and certification sheet in sealed packages to the state board of elections. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC001976 |
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