2025 -- H 5710
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LC000655
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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
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- PRIMARIES FOR ELECTION OF DELEGATES TO
NATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND FOR PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE
Introduced By: Representatives Perez, Hull, Slater, Shallcross Smith, Fellela, and Diaz
Date Introduced: February 26, 2025
Referred To: House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 17-12.1-6 and 17-12.1-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-12.1 1
entitled "Primaries for Election of Delegates to National Conventions and for Presidential 2
Preference" are hereby amended to read as follows: 3
17-12.1-6. Number of signers required. 4
The nomination papers of a candidate for delegate to a national convention shall be signed, 5
in the aggregate, by at least one hundred fifty (150) fifty (50) eligible voters. 6
17-12.1-7. Checking and certification of nomination papers. 7
(a) Each nomination paper of a candidate for delegate shall be submitted on or before four 8
o’clock (4:00) p.m. in the afternoon of the fifty-sixth (56th) fifty-fourth (54th) day before the 9
presidential preference primary to the local board of the city or town where the signers appear to 10
be voters, and the nomination papers shall be checked, processed, and certified to the secretary of 11
state by the local boards before four o’clock (4:00) p.m. in the afternoon of the fifty-third (53rd) 12
fiftieth (50th) day before the presidential preference primary. In addition, each candidate for 13
delegate to a national convention may, on or before four o’clock (4:00) p.m. in the afternoon of the 14
forty-ninth (49th) day before the presidential primary, submit to the secretary of state 15
documentation from a candidate, as set forth in § 17-12.1-4, that he or she has the approval of the 16
candidate for presidential nominee or approval from the steering/screening committee to name the 17
candidates’ delegates to be identified with him or her. Names of delegates pledged to a presidential 18
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candidate who do not receive approval of the candidate for presidential nominee or approval from 1
the steering/screening committee to name the candidates’ delegates to be identified with him/her, 2
who are otherwise qualified, shall appear on the ballot in accordance with party rules. 3
(b) When nomination papers have been duly certified by the appropriate local boards of 4
canvassers, they shall be conclusively presumed to be valid, unless written objections to them are 5
made as to the eligibility of the candidate or the sufficiency of the nomination papers or the 6
signatures on them. All objections shall be filed with the state board of elections by four o’clock 7
(4:00) p.m. on the next business day after the last day fixed for local boards to file nomination 8
papers with the secretary of state. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the secretary 9
of state from disqualifying a candidate based on the determination of the secretary of state that the 10
nomination papers or the signatures on them are invalid or insufficient. 11
(c) The decision of the state board shall be rendered not later than four o’clock (4:00) p.m. 12
on the forty-seventh (47th) day before the presidential preference primary and shall immediately 13
be certified by the state board to the secretary of state. 14
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 15
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- PRIMARIES FOR ELECTION OF DELEGATES TO
NATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND FOR PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE
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This act would reduce the number of signatures needed on nomination papers for a 1
candidate to be a delegate to a national presidential convention to 50 voters. This act would also 2
amend and reduce the number of days before an election for which nomination papers must be 3
submitted before a presidential preference primary to 54 days, and would reduce the number of 4
days by which the local board of canvassers would need to certify the signatures to the secretary of 5
state to 50 days before the presidential preference primary. 6
This act would take effect upon passage. 7
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