The bill amends Chapter 17-12.1 of the General Laws to establish ranked choice voting for presidential preference primaries in Rhode Island. This change allows voters to rank their preferences for candidates, and it specifies that if a political party does not provide clear instructions for delegate allocation, the primary will default to a statewide winner-take-all system. The bill outlines the process for candidates to notify the Secretary of State of their candidacy, the requirements for petition papers, and the procedures for candidate withdrawals, including the need for candidates to file a signed letter of withdrawal and an affidavit to be treated as inactive.

Additionally, the legislation defines key terms related to the voting process and establishes rules for vote tabulation, including the handling of undervotes and inactive ballots, as well as a recount process for elections with a close vote margin. It mandates the Secretary of State to develop rules for the timely release of unofficial preliminary results, including round-by-round results and ballot-level ranking data in a machine-readable format. The bill emphasizes transparency by requiring consultation with local election officials and party representatives during the rule-making process.

Furthermore, the act includes provisions for post-election audits, requiring that audit results be published online within 48 hours and detailing procedures for conducting risk-limiting audits to enhance public confidence in election outcomes. The act is set to take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
5276: 17-19-37.4