Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0340 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- S 0340
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7	7	LC001275
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO ELECTIONS - NOMINATION OF PARTY AND INDEPENDEN T
16	16	CANDIDATES - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SU BMITTED NOMINATION S IGNATURES
17	17	Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Burke, F. Lombardi, Sosnowski, Ciccone, DiPalma,
18	18	Tikoian, and LaMountain
19	19	Date Introduced: February 16, 2023
20	20	Referred To: Senate Judiciary
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23	23	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
24	24	SECTION 1. Section 17-14-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-14 entitled "Nomination 1
25	25	of Party and Independent Candidates" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
26	26	17-14-7. Number of signers required for nomination papers. 3
27	27	(a) United States senator or governor. The nomination papers of a candidate for the party 4
28	28	nomination or an independent candidate for presidential elector, United States senator, or governor 5
29	29	shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least one thousand (1,000) voters. Notwithstanding the 6
30	30	foregoing, for the 2020 election only, the nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination 7
31	31	or an independent candidate for United States senator shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least 8
32	32	five hundred (500) voters. 9
33	33	(b) Representative in Congress. The nomination papers of a candidate for the party 10
34	34	nomination or an independent candidate for representative in Congress shall be signed, in the 11
35	35	aggregate, by at least five hundred (500) voters. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the 2020 12
36	36	election only, the nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination or an independent 13
37	37	candidate for representative in Congress shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least two hundred 14
38	38	fifty (250) voters. 15
39	39	(c) General state offices. The nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination or 16
40	40	an independent candidate for any of the general offices of the state, excluding governor, shall be 17
41	41	signed, in the aggregate, by at least five hundred (500) voters. 18
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45	45	(d) State senator. The nomination papers of a candidate for a party nomination or 1
46	46	independent candidate for senator in any senatorial district shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at 2
47	47	least one hundred (100) voters of the senatorial district and the candidate shall submit no more than 3
48	48	one hundred fifty (150) signatures for certification. 4
49	49	(e) State representative. The nomination papers of a candidate for party nomination or an 5
50	50	independent candidate for a member of the house of representatives from any representative district 6
51	51	shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least fifty (50) voters of the representative district and the 7
52	52	candidate shall submit no more than one hundred (100) signatures for certification. 8
53	53	(f) City offices. The nomination papers of a candidate for party nomination or an 9
54	54	independent candidate for any local office to be filled by the voters of any city at large shall be 10
55	55	signed, in the aggregate, by at least two hundred (200) voters of the city, provided that in the city 11
56	56	of Newport, for at-large candidates or candidates for school committee, at least one hundred (100) 12
57	57	signatures shall be required; provided, further, that in the city of Woonsocket, for candidates for 13
58	58	citywide nonpartisan office, including city council, mayor, and candidates for school committee, if 14
59	59	elected, at least one hundred (100) signatures shall be required; and provided, further that in the 15
60	60	city of Providence, at least five hundred (500) signatures shall be required. Any candidate required 16
61	61	to submit a minimum of one hundred (100) signatures for nomination by this subsection, shall 17
62	62	submit no more than one hundred fifty (150) signatures seeking certification. 18
63	63	(g) Voting district moderator or clerk. The nomination papers for a candidate for voting 19
64	64	district moderator or clerk in any town shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least ten (10) voters 20
65	65	of the voting district. 21
66	66	(h) Other offices. The nomination papers of a candidate for party nomination for other 22
67	67	offices covered by § 17-15-7, or for the election of delegates or for unendorsed party committee 23
68	68	candidates, shall be signed, in the aggregate, by fifty (50) voters and the candidate shall submit no 24
69	69	more than seventy-five (75) signatures for certification. 25
70	70	(i) After certifying voter signatures in a sum equal to or greater than fifty percent (50%) 26
71	71	above the minimum number necessary for a candidate to be qualified pursuant to the provisions of 27
72	72	this section, the board of canvassers may stop further certification of signatures. 28
73	73	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2024. 29
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80	80	EXPLANATION
81	81	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
82	82	OF
83	83	A N A C T
84	84	RELATING TO ELECTIONS - NOMINATION OF PARTY AND INDEPENDENT
85	85	CANDIDATES - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SUBMITTED NOMINATION SIGNATURES
86	86	***
87	87	This act would limit the number of signatures that a candidate may submit for certification, 1
88	88	to one hundred (100) if fifty (50) signatures are required and to one hundred fifty (150) when one 2
89	89	hundred (100) signatures are required. 3
90	90	This act would take effect on January 1, 2024. 4
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