2025 -- H 5383

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LC000828

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS --PRIMARY ELECTION DATES

     Introduced By: Representatives Place, Paplauskas, and Roberts

     Date Introduced: February 07, 2025

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. 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 eighth Tuesday preceding

biennial state elections. Provided, however, that if the eighth Tuesday is the day after Labor Day,

then the primary election shall be held on the very next day, the Wednesday.

     SECTION 2. Section 17-9.1-4.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled

"Registration of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-9.1-4.1. Registration drives at high schools.

     It shall may be the duty of local boards to annually conduct a voter registration drive at

each high school within the city or town in cooperation with the administration of the schools. Each

principal of every public or private high school and director of each vocational school in this state

may be a registration agent whose authority shall be limited to receiving and accepting registrations

as electors from those qualified applicants who are enrolled as students within the school or are

employed within the school. The principal or director may designate one or more persons in the

school to serve as registration agents with the same authority as the principal of the school, provided

each designation is filed with the local board for the city or town in which the school is located.

Each person who is a registration agent pursuant to this section shall be sworn to the faithful

performance of his or her duties and shall be subject to removal as a registration agent by the local

board for cause shown. All registration made under this section shall be made in accordance with

rules and regulations established by the local board of the city or town in which the school is

located.

     SECTION 3. 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 --PRIMARY ELECTION DATES

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     This act would require that the primary election date, typically the eighth Tuesday

preceding the biennial state elections, shall be held on the Wednesday following Labor Day, only

if the eighth Tuesday immediately follows Labor Day. Additionally, this act would no longer

mandate, but rather allow local boards to annually conduct a voter registration drive at each high

school within the city or town.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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