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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | 2025 -- S 0517 |
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| 6 | 6 | | ======== |
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| 7 | 7 | | LC000830 |
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| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
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| 9 | 9 | | S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D |
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| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 |
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| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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| 16 | 16 | | Introduced By: Senators Mack, Acosta, Kallman, Gu, and Euer |
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| 17 | 17 | | Date Introduced: February 26, 2025 |
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| 18 | 18 | | Referred To: Senate Judiciary |
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| 19 | 19 | | |
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| 20 | 20 | | |
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| 21 | 21 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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| 22 | 22 | | SECTION 1. Section 17-1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-1 entitled "General 1 |
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| 23 | 23 | | Provisions" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2 |
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| 24 | 24 | | 17-1-3. Eligibility to vote. 3 |
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| 25 | 25 | | (a) Every citizen of the United States who is at least eighteen (18) years of age, whose 4 |
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| 26 | 26 | | residence as defined in § 17-1-3.1 has been in this state for at least thirty (30) days, and in the town 5 |
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| 27 | 27 | | or city and voting district in which that person desires to cast his or her vote at least thirty (30) days 6 |
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| 28 | 28 | | next preceding the election, and who is registered in that city or town and voting district at least 7 |
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| 29 | 29 | | thirty (30) days next preceding any election, shall be entitled to vote in the election; provided, a 8 |
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| 30 | 30 | | person may vote in a primary election only if that person is eligible under the provisions of this 9 |
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| 31 | 31 | | title. A person who has not registered to vote, or whose registration has been canceled pursuant to 10 |
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| 32 | 32 | | § 17-10-1, may cast a vote for president and vice-president on election day at the person’s city or 11 |
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| 33 | 33 | | town hall or at an alternate location designated by the board of canvassers, and approved by the 12 |
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| 34 | 34 | | board of elections, where such location is deemed necessary to better accommodate such voters. 13 |
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| 35 | 35 | | The casting of that vote shall commence the process of voter registration and subject the person 14 |
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| 36 | 36 | | voting to the requirements and penalties of this chapter. 15 |
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| 37 | 37 | | (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, any person who has 16 |
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| 38 | 38 | | not yet reached age eighteen (18), but will be age eighteen (18) at the time of a general election, 17 |
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| 39 | 39 | | may vote in a primary election, in which candidates are nominated for a general or special election. 18 |
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| 40 | 40 | | (c) The provisions of subsection (b) shall not extend to any other elections. 19 |
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| 41 | 41 | | |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | LC000830 - Page 2 of 3 |
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| 44 | 44 | | (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, any city or town with 1 |
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| 45 | 45 | | an elected school committee may provide by ordinance, referendum, or other mechanism at the 2 |
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| 46 | 46 | | municipality’s discretion, that every citizen of the city or town, who is at least sixteen (16) years 3 |
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| 47 | 47 | | of age, and whose residence as defined in this section, has been in this state for at least thirty (30) 4 |
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| 48 | 48 | | days, may register to vote in school committee elections in the city or town in which they reside, 5 |
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| 49 | 49 | | and if registered at least thirty (30) days next preceding any school committee election, is entitled 6 |
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| 50 | 50 | | to vote in said election. 7 |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 8 |
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| 52 | 52 | | ======== |
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| 53 | 53 | | LC000830 |
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| 54 | 54 | | ======== |
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| 55 | 55 | | |
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| 56 | 56 | | |
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| 57 | 57 | | LC000830 - Page 3 of 3 |
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| 58 | 58 | | EXPLANATION |
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| 59 | 59 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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| 60 | 60 | | OF |
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| 61 | 61 | | A N A C T |
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| 62 | 62 | | RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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| 63 | 63 | | *** |
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| 64 | 64 | | This act would allow citizens of a city or town who are at least sixteen (16) years of age to 1 |
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| 65 | 65 | | register to vote and to vote in school committee elections in municipalities where school 2 |
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| 66 | 66 | | committees are elected entities. 3 |
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| 67 | 67 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 4 |
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| 68 | 68 | | ======== |
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| 69 | 69 | | LC000830 |
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