| Chapter 245 |
| 2019 -- S 0588 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 07/15/2019 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ELECTIONS - NOMINATION - DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY - PRIMARY VOTES |
| Introduced By: Senator Elizabeth A. Crowley |
| Date Introduced: March 14, 2019 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 17-14-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-14 entitled |
| "Nomination of Party and Independent Candidates" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 17-14-11. Checking and certification of nomination papers -- Challenge. |
| Each nomination paper for party and independent candidates shall be submitted before |
| four o'clock (4:00) p.m. on the sixtieth (60th) day before the primary to the local board of the city |
| or town where the signers appear to be voters or, in the case of special elections, on the twenty- |
| eighth (28th) day before the primary. Nomination papers for independent presidential candidates |
| and presidential candidates of political parties, other than those defined in § 17-1-2(9), shall be |
| filed not later than sixty (60) days prior to the general election. Each local board shall |
| immediately proceed to check signatures on each nomination paper filed with it against the voting |
| list as last canvassed or published according to law. In the case of candidates for statewide office, |
| the local boards shall certify the number of names appearing on the nomination papers that are in |
| conformity with the requirements of § 17-14-8, and after considering any challenge under this |
| section, shall immediately file all nomination papers for the officers with the secretary of state. In |
| the case of all other candidates, the The local boards shall certify a sufficient number of names |
| appearing on the nomination papers that are in conformity with the requirements of § 17-14-8 to |
| qualify the candidate for a position on the ballot, and after considering any challenge under this |
| section and, if necessary, certifying any additional valid names, shall immediately file nomination |
| papers for statewide office, general assembly, and state and district committee candidates with the |
| secretary of state; provided, that nomination papers for local candidates shall be retained by the |
| local board. If any candidate or the chairperson of any party committee questions the validity or |
| authenticity of any signature on the nomination paper, the local board shall immediately and |
| summarily decide the question, and for this purpose, shall have the same powers as are conferred |
| upon the board by the provisions of § 17-14-14. If any challenged signature is found to be invalid, |
| for any reason in law, or forged, then the signature shall not be counted. |
| SECTION 2. Section 17-15-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary |
| Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 17-15-1. Date of primaries. |
| A primary election for the nomination of candidates for each political party shall be held |
| in each voting district in the manner provided in this chapter on the second Tuesday after the first |
| Monday in September in each even numbered year eighth Tuesday preceding biennial state |
| elections. |
| SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2020. |
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| LC001279/SUB A |
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