AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- LOCAL CANVASSING AUTHORITY (Prohibits members of elected city/town political party committees as well as representative/senate district committees from serving on local canvassing authorities.)

H7231

2026 -- H 7231
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LC004116
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- LOCAL CANVASSING AUTHORITY

Introduced By:
Representatives Edwards, Bennett, Ackerman, Solomon, Kennedy,
Carson, Fogarty, and Casimiro

Date Introduced:
January 21, 2026

Referred To:
House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 17-8-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-8 entitled "Local
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Canvassing Authorities" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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17-8-2. Term and qualifications for office.
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(a)
Each member of a local canvassing authority shall be appointed to serve for a term of
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six (6) years beginning on the first Monday of March succeeding the date of his or her appointment
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and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. No person shall be appointed or serve as a
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member of the authority who is an officer or employee of the United States or of this state, or who
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is an officer or employee of the authority’s city or town; provided, that in any city a member of the
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authority may be employed as its clerk. Any member of the authority who becomes a candidate for
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election to any public office and who fails to file a declination of the candidacy within the time
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allowed by law shall be disqualified from holding membership upon the authority and his or her
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successor shall be immediately elected.
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(b) No member of the authority may hold any partisan office including town/city party
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committees or representative/senate district committees. Any member who fails to file a declination
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of candidacy, within ten (10) days of declaring said candidacy, shall be subject to a five hundred
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dollar ($500) fine and immediate dismissal from the authority. This requirement shall apply to
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membership on partisan elected state committees, as outlined above, as well.

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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- LOCAL CANVASSING AUTHORITY
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This act would prohibit members of elected city/town political party committees as well as
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representative/senate district committees from serving on local canvassing authorities.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC004116
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