The bill amends Section 17-1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-1, which pertains to general provisions related to elections. It introduces new definitions, including "major party" and "minor party," which are distinguished based on the number of votes received by a party's candidate in the previous election. Specifically, a "major party" is defined as one that, at the last preceding general election, nominated a candidate for President, U.S. Senator, Representative of Congress, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, or state treasurer who received at least two percent (2%) of the total votes cast in the state, has one or more members serving in the general assembly, or has at least five thousand (5,000) registered voters as of June 1 of a general election year. Conversely, "minor parties" are defined as any political organization that has yet to reach five thousand (5,000) registered voters or whose candidates received less than two percent (2%) of the total votes cast in the previous election.

Additionally, the bill removes specific criteria previously used to define a political party, such as the requirement for a party's candidate for governor or president to have polled at least five percent (5%) of the vote in the last general election. The changes aim to clarify the definitions and criteria for political party status, thereby impacting how parties are recognized and how they can participate in elections. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
7978: 17-1-2