2024 -- S 2779

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF SUFFRAGE

     Introduced By: Senators DiMario, Burke, Miller, F. Lombardi, Acosta, McKenney,
DiPalma, Euer, Mack, and Lawson

     Date Introduced: March 08, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (Secretary of State)

     RESOLVED, That a majority of all members elected to each house of the general

assembly voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the state be proposed to

the qualified electors of the state in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the

Constitution, for their approval, and that it take the place of Article II, Sections 1 and 2, which are

hereby amended, effective January 1, 2025, to read as follows:

ARTICLE II

OF SUFFRAGE

     SECTION 1. Persons entitled to vote.

     Every citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years or over who has had

residence and home in is a resident of this state for thirty days next preceding the time of voting,

who has resided thirty days and resides in the town or city from which such citizen desires to

vote, and whose name shall be registered at least thirty days next preceding the time of voting as

provided by law, shall have the right to vote for all offices to be elected and on all questions

submitted to the electors, except that no person who has been lawfully adjudicated to be non

compos mentis shall be permitted to vote. No person who is incarcerated in a correctional facility

upon a felony conviction shall be permitted to vote until such person is discharged from the

facility. Upon discharge, such person’s right to vote shall be restored. The general assembly may

provide by law for shorter state and local residence and registration requirements to vote for all

offices to be elected and on all questions submitted to the electors for president and vice president

of the United States.

     Section 2. Nomination of candidates -- Voter registration -- Absentee voting -- Conduct

of elections -- Residency.

     The general assembly shall provide by law for the nomination of candidates, but no

person shall be eligible to file a declaration of candidacy who has not been a qualified elector in

Rhode Island for at least thirty (30) days; for a uniform system of permanent registration of

voters; for the exemption from such registration of persons in the active service of the nation and

their families absent from the state because of such service, and, in time of war, members of the

Merchant Marine; for absentee and shut in voting; for the time, manner and place of conducting

elections; for the prevention of abuse, corruption and fraud in voting; and may define by law

residence for voting purposes, but no person shall acquire such residence merely by being

stationed or assigned in this state in the active service of the United States.

     RESOLVED, That this amendment shall take, in the Constitution of the State, the place

of Section 1 and Section 2 of Article II of the Constitution;

     It is further

     RESOLVED, That said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors for

their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the several

cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for general

officers of the state; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause the said proposition of amendments

to be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the

said meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or

notices to be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town,

ward, or district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, ward, or district

meetings to be held as aforesaid; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the town, ward, and district meetings to be held aforesaid shall be

warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and

district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town,

ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF SUFFRAGE

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     This Joint Resolution would propose to the voters of the state a constitutional amendment

which would remove the thirty (30) day state and local residency requirements, and require that a

voter be registered by, or on election day. It would also provide that no person would be eligible

to file a declaration of candidacy who has not been a qualified elector in Rhode Island for at least

thirty days.

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