AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- FEDERAL ELECTIVE OFFICERS (Changes the manner by which presidential electoral college electors are elected and create a system of grouping of municipalities of equal populations, one of each of Rhode Island's electoral votes.)

H7784

2026 -- H 7784
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LC003962
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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 -- FEDERAL ELECTIVE OFFICERS

Introduced By:
Representative Brian C. Newberry

Date Introduced:
February 12, 2026

Referred To:
House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 17-4-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-4 entitled "Federal
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Elective Officers" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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17-4-10. Presidential electors — Time and manner of voting — Election by plurality.
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(a)
The people of this state, qualified by law to vote for general offices, shall elect as many
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electors of president and vice-president of the United States that the state is or shall be entitled to
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at town, ward, and district meetings on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, in
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every fourth (4th) year, commencing in 1960, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 19 of
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this title, and the several candidates having a plurality of the legal votes given in at the election
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shall be elected.
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(b) For purposes of electing presidential electors, the state shall be divided into four (4)
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groups of municipalities of approximately equal populations, created during the redistricting
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process. There shall be one group for each elected member of congress. Votes cast by each group's
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voters shall be tallied, with the winner of each group, awarded one electoral vote. The number of
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municipality groups shall be based upon the number of electoral votes Rhode Island is entitled to
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receive, through the redistricting process.
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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 -- FEDERAL ELECTIVE OFFICERS
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This act would change the manner by which presidential electoral college electors are
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elected. It would create a system of grouping of municipalities of equal populations, one of each of
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Rhode Island's electoral votes, with the winner of each group for the presidential elections each
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group receiving one electoral vote.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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