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. It also provides a process for registered voters to designate or change their party affiliation. The bill includes deletions that previously identified a person as affiliated with a party if they participated in that party's primary. Instead, new insertions clarify that an unaffiliated voter's participation in a party primary does not change their unaffiliated status, and this includes various forms of casting a ballot. Additionally, forms for disaffiliating from a political party will be provided at polling and early voting locations, and election officials are authorized to inform voters that no action is necessary to maintain their unaffiliated status after participating in a party primary.

Further amendments to Sections 17-15-21 and 17-15-24 in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary Elections" ensure that non-affiliated voters can participate in either party's primary election without becoming affiliated with that party. The bill removes language that previously disqualified a person from voting in a party primary if they had voted in another party's primary without changing their affiliation. It also specifies that non-affiliated voters are not barred from voting in a party primary due to participation in a previous party primary while unaffiliated. The act is set to take effect on June 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
7662: 17-9.1-23