AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- PRIMARY ELECTION (Changes primary election to Wednesday if after Labor Day and does not mandate local boards of election to have voter registration drive at high school.)

H7234

2026 -- H 7234
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LC004352
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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 -- PRIMARY ELECTION

Introduced By:
Representatives Place, Chippendale, Santucci, Newberry, Paplauskas,
Fascia, and Hopkins

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 17-15-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary
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Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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17-15-1. Date of primaries.
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A primary election for the nomination of candidates for each political party shall be held
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in each voting district in the manner provided in this chapter on the eighth Tuesday preceding
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biennial state elections.
Provided, however, that if the eighth Tuesday is the day after Labor Day,
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then the primary election shall be held on the very next day, the Wednesday.
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SECTION 2. Section 17-9.1-4.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled
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"Registration of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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17-9.1-4.1. Registration drives at high schools.
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It
shall

may
be the duty of local boards to annually conduct a voter registration drive at
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each high school within the city or town in cooperation with the administration of the schools. Each
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principal of every public or private high school and director of each vocational school in this state
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may be a registration agent whose authority shall be limited to receiving and accepting registrations
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as electors from those qualified applicants who are enrolled as students within the school or are
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employed within the school. The principal or director may designate one or more persons in the
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school to serve as registration agents with the same authority as the principal of the school, provided
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each designation is filed with the local board for the city or town in which the school is located.
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Each person who is a registration agent pursuant to this section shall be sworn to the faithful

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performance of his or her duties and shall be subject to removal as a registration agent by the local
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board for cause shown. All registration made under this section shall be made in accordance with
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rules and regulations established by the local board of the city or town in which the school is
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located.
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SECTION 3. 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 -- PRIMARY ELECTION
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This act would require that the primary election date, typically the eighth Tuesday
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preceding the biennial state elections, shall be held on the Wednesday following Labor Day, if the
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eighth Tuesday immediately follows Labor Day. Additionally, this act would no longer mandate,
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but rather allow local boards to annually conduct a voter registration drive at each high school
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within the city or town.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC004352
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LC004352 - Page 3 of 3