The Rhode Island Fusion Voting Act establishes a framework for allowing candidates to be nominated by multiple political parties for the same office in elections. Key provisions of the legislation include:

1. **Cross-Endorsement**: Candidates may accept nominations from more than one political party for the same office, provided they meet all qualifications and file written acceptance of each nomination.

2. **Ballot Design**: The act mandates that ballots accommodate candidates appearing under multiple party lines. Candidates nominated by more than one party will have their names displayed in each relevant party's section on the ballot, and voters can select a candidate on any party line. All votes for such candidates will be counted and combined as a single total.

3. **Vote Counting**: Votes for candidates nominated by multiple parties will be counted separately by party and then combined for a final tally. Both the separate party-line vote totals and the combined total will be recorded in the official election results.

4. **Political Party Qualification**: The threshold for political party qualification is reduced from five percent to one percent of the total votes cast in statewide elections, facilitating easier recognition for new parties.

5. **Implementation Responsibilities**: The state board of elections is tasked with developing rules and regulations for implementing the provisions of the act, providing training to local boards of canvassers, and conducting a public education campaign about fusion voting.

The provisions of the act will take effect on January 1, 2029, while the implementation timeline for voting equipment and training will begin immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
7232: 17-1-2, 17-14-1.1