2025 -- H 5518

========

LC001145

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- LOCAL CANVASSING AUTHORITIES

     Introduced By: Representatives Baginski, and Paplauskas

     Date Introduced: February 13, 2025

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-8-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-8 entitled "Local

Canvassing Authorities" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-8-10. Publication of local questions to be submitted to voters.

     (a) Prior to each local election at which public questions are to be submitted, the local board

shall cause to be prominently posted in at least three (3) local public locations and advertised at

least once in a newspaper of local circulation, or in lieu of the requirement to place the

advertisement in a newspaper of local circulation, the City of Pawtucket may mail to the household

of each registered voter prior to the election the full text of each legislative act to be acted upon and

the election date, or the local board may substitute a description of the text of each act in lieu of the

full text, together with the following information:

     (1) The designated number of the question;

     (2) A brief caption of the question;

     (3) A brief explanation of the measure that is the subject matter of the question; and

     (4) A notice that voter fraud is a felony and the penalty for voter fraud. This notice shall be

in conspicuous lettering and shall contain the following language: “You must be registered to vote

from your actual place of residence.”

     (b) If the public question involves the issuance of bonds or other evidence of indebtedness

or any other long-term financial obligation such as a lease, the notice required by subsection (a) of

this section shall also include at least the following information to be provided:

     (1) The estimated total cost of the project or program, including financing (using a

reasonable assumed rate of interest), legal, and other costs.

     (2) The estimated useful life of the project, and the term of the bonds, other indebtedness,

or other obligation.

     (3) A reasonably detailed description of the project or program, its purposes, and a project

timetable.

     (c) The local board may substitute the advertising requirements as listed in subsection (a)

of this section, by posting in its place, a conspicuous and prominent notice containing all of the

same information on the municipality's website for at least twenty-one (21) consecutive days

leading up to and including the date of the election, where the local question(s) are certified to

appear on the ballot, in addition to prominently posting the same in at least three (3) public

locations.

     SECTION 2. Chapter 17-8 of the General Laws entitled "Local Canvassing Authorities" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     17-8-11. Publication of early voting dates, hours, and location.

     (a) The local board shall advertise the dates, hours, and location of early voting, in a

newspaper of general circulation in the city or town at least once prior to the commencement of

any in-person early voting period to be conducted by the local board, and at least one while that

same early voting period is underway.

     (b) The local board shall publish a conspicuous and prominent notice on the municipality's

website of the dates, hours, and location of early voting, and said notice shall remain published

throughout the duration of any in-person early voting period conducted by the local board. Said

notice shall reasonably comply with web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 compliance

level AA.

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

of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LC001145 - Page 2 of 4

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

election.

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

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

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

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

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

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

registrations will be taken; and

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

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

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

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

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

provided by law for the taking of voter registrations; and

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

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

board may substitute advertising in a newspaper, by posting a conspicuous and prominent notice

of those designation(s) on the municipality's website, for at least ten (10) consecutive days leading

up to the last day prescribed by law for the taking of voter registrations. Said notice shall reasonably

comply with web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 compliance level AA.

     SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC001145

========

LC001145 - Page 3 of 4

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- LOCAL CANVASSING AUTHORITIES

***

     This act would require the local board of canvassers to publish early voting dates, hours,

and location, at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation within the city or town, and to

publish the same on the municipality's website for the duration of the in-person early voting period.

It would also permit the substitution of advertising the voter registration deadline in a newspaper

by continuously posting notice of designation(s) on the municipality's website for a designated

period of consecutive days leading up to the last day prescribed by law for the taking of voter

registrations.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC001145

========

LC001145 - Page 4 of 4