The bill amends Section 17-9.1-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled "Registration of Voters" to allow individuals registering to vote to designate their party affiliation or indicate that they are not affiliated with any political party. The bill also changes the process for voters who wish to change their party affiliation and provides that participating in a party primary does not affiliate an unaffiliated voter with that party. Additionally, the bill prescribes that forms for disaffiliating from a political party be available at polling and early voting locations, and it clarifies that circulating or signing nomination papers does not affiliate a person with a political party. Election officials are authorized to inform voters that unaffiliated voters will remain unaffiliated after participating in a party primary.

Furthermore, the bill amends Sections 17-15-21 and 17-15-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary Elections" to allow non-affiliated voters to participate in any party's primary election without becoming affiliated with that party. It removes the disqualification of voters who have participated in another party's primary election without changing their party designation. The bill ensures that non-affiliated voters are not barred from voting in a party primary due to their participation in a previous party primary while not affiliated with a party. The act is set to take effect on June 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
2418  SUB A: 17-9.1-23
2418: 17-9.1-23