Introduced By: Representative McNamara
Date Introduced : February 2, 1999
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 17-21.1-2, 17-21.1-3, 17-21.1-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-21.1 entitled "Registration and Voting in Federal Elections by Citizens Residing Outside the United States" are hereby amended to read as follows:
17-21.1-2. Absentee registration. -- (a) Any person otherwise qualified pursuant to this title who is a citizen of the United States and is absent from this state and residing outside the United States shall have the right to register absentee and vote by an absentee ballot in any federal election in this state in any election district of this state in which the person was last domiciled immediately prior to that person's departure from the United States, notwithstanding that the person does not have a place of abode or other address in this state, and the person's intent to return to this state may be uncertain, if:
(1) The person has registered pursuant to the provisions of this chapter;
(2) The person does not maintain a domicile, is not registered to vote, and does not vote in any other state or election district of a state or territory, or in any territory or possession of the United States; and
(3) The person has a valid passport or card of identity and registration issued under the authority of the secretary of state of the United States.
{ADD (b) If the person is a United States citizen and has never lived in the United States but has a parent who is a qualified elector pursuant to this chapter, then said person shall be eligible to register and vote in federal elections where his or her parent is a qualified elector. ADD}
17-21.1-3. Procedure on registration. -- Every person duly qualified to vote who by reason of his or her absence from the state, as provided in section 17-21.1-2, and desiring to register pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, shall do so in the following manner:
(1) The person shall make application in writing to the local board in the city or town in which that person was last domiciled in this state for the form necessary to register.
(2) (i) The local board shall proceed to furnish the applicant with a registration form and affidavit form as provided below.
(ii) The following, in addition to such direction as may be printed, stamped, or written thereon by direction of the local board, shall be substantially the form of affidavit to be subscribed to by the person: Affidavit of Absentee Voter Upon Registration I, __________________________, say that I {ADD or my parents ADD} have been domiciled at No. ________ Street in the city or town of ____________ in the state of Rhode Island; that I am presently residing outside of the United States at __________________________________________________________; (state foreign address) that I am a citizen of the United States; that I do not maintain a domicile nor am I registered to vote and will not vote in any other state or election district of a state or territory or in any territory or possession of the United States; that I have a valid passport or card of identity and registration issued under the authority of the secretary of state of the United States; that I desire to register to permit me to vote in all elections for president, vice-president, presidential elector, member of the United States senate, and member of the United States house of representatives. _______________________________________________________________________ (sign full name on this line) Sworn to by or affirmed before me this ______ day of _________________________ ______, 19____. _______________________________________________________________________ Consular officer of the United States or person authorized to administer oaths in place of attestation (Affix official seal or certificate of authority.) (Consular officer or other officer, authorized by law of place of attestation to administer an oath, must administer the above.) (3) When the registration form and affidavit are duly and correctly completed and returned to the local board together with such proof of citizenship as may be required by law, the person shall be deemed to have completed his or her registration and the registration card shall be filed in the same manner as other original registration cards, except the cards shall be maintained separately and shall refer only to eligibility to vote for federal officers as provided by this chapter.
17-21.1-4. Form of application by foreign absentee. --
The following, in addition to such directions as may be printed,
stamped, or written thereon by authority of the secretary of state,
shall be the form of application to be subscribed by each foreign
absentee voter before receiving a ballot: Application for Foreign
Absentee Ballot
Notice to Applicant This is an application for a restricted
ballot and applies only to your eligibility to vote for president,
vice-president, presidential elector, member of the United States
senate, and/or member of the congress of the United States.
TO THE BOARD OF CANVASSERS OF THE CITY
OR TOWN OF ________, STATE OF
RHODE ISLAND I, having registered pursuant
to provisions of chapter 21.1 of title 17, make application for
foreign absentee voters federal ballot for the election to be
held on the _____________ day of __________, 19____. I further
state that I am not a qualified voter of any other state or in
any territory or possession of the United States and that I have
a valid passport or card of identity and registration issued under
the authority of the secretary of state of the United States.
I further say that if this application is accepted, I request
that the ballot or ballots be delivered or mailed to me at the
following address: ______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
. _______________________________________________________________________
(sign name in full on this line) {DEL Sworn to by or affirmed
before me this ________________ day of DEL}
{DEL _______________________, 19____. ___________________________________________
Consular
officer of the United States or person authorized to
administer oaths in place of attestation (affix official
seal or certificate of authority) (Consular officer
or other officer authorized by the law of place of attestation
to administer an oath must administer the above.) DEL}
Note: This application must be received by the local canvassing
authority not later than four o'clock (4:00) p.m. on the twenty-first
day before the day of any election. Mail to board of canvassers,
( ) city ( ) town of _____________, No. _____________ Street,
____________, Rhode Island. (Not to be filled in by applicant
but to be completed by local board.) This application is returned
for the following reason(s): (check appropriate boxes) ( ) Application
not sufficient; ( ) Applicant not qualified elector; ( ) Signature
does not compare; ( ) Application received later than four o'clock
(4:00) p.m. local time on the twenty-first day before the day
of election; ( ) Other _________________________________________________________________
. __________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
(signatures of the local board members)
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
