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 | |
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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: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 17-9.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled "Registration |
2 | of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 17-9.1-3. Periods when boards receive registrations. |
4 | (a) The local boards shall open their respective offices for the purposes of receiving |
5 | registration of voters throughout the year during the regular business hours. Registration for any |
6 | election shall close on the thirtieth (30th) day preceding an election; provided, that local boards |
7 | shall not receive the registration on Sundays or legal holidays, and may receive the registrations |
8 | during additional hours each day from the fortieth (40th) to the thirtieth (30th) day before any |
9 | election. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as restricting the right of statewide or |
10 | local registration agents or members of the general assembly to accept registrations of voters on |
11 | any day. The acceptance of registrations at any other time shall not affect the validity of any |
12 | election. |
13 | (b) Notwithstanding any other sections of the general laws to the contrary, all local boards |
14 | of canvassers shall remain open from eight-thirty (8:30) a.m. until four o’clock (4:00) p.m. on the |
15 | last day prescribed by law for the taking of voter registrations to permit participation of the voters |
16 | in the next succeeding election. In the event that the last day prescribed by law for the taking of |
17 | voter registrations is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, then the local board may; |
18 | (1) Designate one publicly accessible location in the city or town at which voter |
19 | registrations will be taken; and |
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1 | (2) Designate the hours during which voter registration will be taken at that location, which |
2 | hours shall include the hours from one o’clock (1:00) p.m. until four o’clock (4:00) p.m. |
3 | (c) If a local board does designate a location other than its regular place of business or does |
4 | designate hours other than eight-thirty o’clock (8:30) a.m. until four o’clock (4:00) p.m., it shall: |
5 | (1) Publicly announce those designation(s) at least ten (10) days prior to the last day |
6 | provided by law for the taking of voter registrations; and |
7 | (2) Advertise those designation(s) in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town |
8 | at least twice prior to the last day prescribed by law for the taking of voter registrations, or the local |
9 | board may substitute advertising in a newspaper by posting notice of those designations(s) on the |
10 | municipality's website for at least ten (10) consecutive days leading up to the last day prescribed |
11 | by law for the taking of voter registrations. |
12 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC004201 | |
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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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1 | This act would permit the substitution of advertising the voter registration deadline in a |
2 | newspaper by posting notice of designations on the municipality's website, continuously, for at |
3 | least ten (10) days leading up to the last day prescribed by law for the taking of voter registrations. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC004201 | |
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