2023 -- H 5383
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LC000827
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- VOTING DISTRICTS AND OFFICIALS
Introduced By: Representatives Noret, Baginski, Shanley, and Fenton-Fung
Date Introduced: February 03, 2023
Referred To: House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 17-11-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-11 entitled "Voting 1
Districts and Officials" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
17-11-1. Division of towns and representative district into voting districts. 3
The local board of any city or town may, on or before the sixtieth (60th) day preceding any 4
election, divide or redivide the city or town, or any representative district in the city or town, into 5
voting districts. The local board of each city or town shall determine voting districts by 6
geographical boundaries and by no other means. No voting district shall at any time comprise parts 7
of two (2) or more wards. It shall be the duty of the board to divide the city or town, representative 8
district, or ward, so that substantially not more than three thousand (3000) total active, eligible 9
registered voters shall be served by the same polling place; provided, however, that any divisions 10
conducted by the local board pursuant to this section shall not result in creating a polling place 11
serving less than five hundred (500) total eligible registered voters, except when a polling place is 12
located in a low-income or elderly residential development, or when it is caused by legislative 13
district boundaries; and provided, further, that no existing polling place which is presently located 14
in a low-income or elderly residential development shall be eliminated. Upon the establishment 15
and approval of any polling place by the state board, changes to the polling place shall not be 16
allowed until the next redistricting by the general assembly, unless the polling place becomes 17
unavailable to the city or town, or no longer meets polling place minimum requirements as 18
established by the state board, then the city or town may take the appropriate action to replace the 19
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polling place. A polling place may be located either within or without the voting district for which 1
it is established; provided, that a polling place may be located outside the district only upon 2
unanimous determination of the local board and subject to the approval of the state board that a 3
suitable place is not available within the voting district. 4
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 5
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- VOTING DISTRICTS AND OFFICIALS
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This act would clarify that the calculation for the total number of eligible voters to be served 1
by the same polling place shall be established using active voters. 2
This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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LC000827
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