2024 -- S 2207

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LC004201

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

     

     Introduced By: Senators F. Lombardi, McKenney, Britto, Ciccone, and Felag

     Date Introduced: January 24, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-9.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled "Registration

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of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-9.1-3. Periods when boards receive registrations.

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     (a) The local boards shall open their respective offices for the purposes of receiving

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registration of voters throughout the year during the regular business hours. Registration for any

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election shall close on the thirtieth (30th) day preceding an election; provided, that local boards

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shall not receive the registration on Sundays or legal holidays, and may receive the registrations

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during additional hours each day from the fortieth (40th) to the thirtieth (30th) day before any

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election. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as restricting the right of statewide or

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local registration agents or members of the general assembly to accept registrations of voters on

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any day. The acceptance of registrations at any other time shall not affect the validity of any

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election.

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     (b) Notwithstanding any other sections of the general laws to the contrary, all local boards

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of canvassers shall remain open from eight-thirty (8:30) a.m. until four o’clock (4:00) p.m. on the

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last day prescribed by law for the taking of voter registrations to permit participation of the voters

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in the next succeeding election. In the event that the last day prescribed by law for the taking of

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voter registrations is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, then the local board may;

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     (1) Designate one publicly accessible location in the city or town at which voter

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registrations will be taken; and

 

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     (2) Designate the hours during which voter registration will be taken at that location, which

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hours shall include the hours from one o’clock (1:00) p.m. until four o’clock (4:00) p.m.

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     (c) If a local board does designate a location other than its regular place of business or does

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designate hours other than eight-thirty o’clock (8:30) a.m. until four o’clock (4:00) p.m., it shall:

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     (1) Publicly announce those designation(s) at least ten (10) days prior to the last day

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provided by law for the taking of voter registrations; and

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     (2) Advertise those designation(s) in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town

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at least twice prior to the last day prescribed by law for the taking of voter registrations, or the local

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board may substitute advertising in a newspaper by posting notice of those designations(s) on the

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municipality's website for at least ten (10) consecutive days leading up to the last day prescribed

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by law for the taking of voter registrations.

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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 -- REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

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     This act would permit the substitution of advertising the voter registration deadline in a

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newspaper by posting notice of designations on the municipality's website, continuously, for at

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least ten (10) days leading up to the last day prescribed by law for the taking of voter registrations.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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