2025 -- H 5383
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LC000828
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
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 1
Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
17-15-1. Date of primaries. 3
A primary election for the nomination of candidates for each political party shall be held 4
in each voting district in the manner provided in this chapter on the eighth Tuesday preceding 5
biennial state elections. Provided, however, that if the eighth Tuesday is the day after Labor Day, 6
then the primary election shall be held on the very next day, the Wednesday. 7
SECTION 2. Section 17-9.1-4.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled 8
"Registration of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows: 9
17-9.1-4.1. Registration drives at high schools. 10
It shall may be the duty of local boards to annually conduct a voter registration drive at 11
each high school within the city or town in cooperation with the administration of the schools. Each 12
principal of every public or private high school and director of each vocational school in this state 13
may be a registration agent whose authority shall be limited to receiving and accepting registrations 14
as electors from those qualified applicants who are enrolled as students within the school or are 15
employed within the school. The principal or director may designate one or more persons in the 16
school to serve as registration agents with the same authority as the principal of the school, provided 17
each designation is filed with the local board for the city or town in which the school is located. 18
Each person who is a registration agent pursuant to this section shall be sworn to the faithful 19
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performance of his or her duties and shall be subject to removal as a registration agent by the local 1
board for cause shown. All registration made under this section shall be made in accordance with 2
rules and regulations established by the local board of the city or town in which the school is 3
located. 4
SECTION 3. 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 --PRIMARY ELECTION DATES
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This act would require that the primary election date, typically the eighth Tuesday 1
preceding the biennial state elections, shall be held on the Wednesday following Labor Day, only 2
if the eighth Tuesday immediately follows Labor Day. Additionally, this act would no longer 3
mandate, but rather allow local boards to annually conduct a voter registration drive at each high 4
school within the city or town. 5
This act would take effect upon passage. 6
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