2023 -- S 0124
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S TATE OF RHODE IS L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A CT
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- NOMINATION OF PARTY AND INDEPENDENT
CANDIDATES
Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, F. Lombardi, Felag, McKenney, Tikoian, Quezada,
LaMountain, Burke, Ciccone, and Euer
Date Introduced: February 01, 2023
Referred To: Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 17-14-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-14 entitled "Nomination
2 of Party and Independent Candidates" is hereby amended to read as follows:
3 17-14-7. Number of signers required for nomination papers.
4 (a) United States senator or governor. The nomination papers of a candidate for the party
5 nomination or an independent candidate for presidential elector, United States senator, or governor
6 shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least one thousand (1,000) voters. Notwithstanding the
7 foregoing, for the 2020 election only, the nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination
8 or an independent candidate for United States senator shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least
9 five hundred (500) voters.
10 (b) Representative in Congress. The nomination papers of a candidate for the party
11 nomination or an independent candidate for representative in Congress shall be signed, in the
12 aggregate, by at least five hundred (500) voters. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the 2020
13 election only, the nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination or an independent
14 candidate for representative in Congress shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least two hundred
15 fifty (250) voters.
16 (c) General state offices. The nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination or
17 an independent candidate for any of the general offices of the state, excluding governor, shall be
18 signed, in the aggregate, by at least five hundred (500) voters.
1 (d) State senator. The nomination papers of a candidate for a party nomination or
2 independent candidate for senator in any senatorial district shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at
3 least one hundred (100) voters of the senatorial district.
4 (e) State representative. The nomination papers of a candidate for party nomination or an
5 independent candidate for a member of the house of representatives from any representative district
6 shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least fifty (50) voters of the representative district.
7 (f) City offices. The nomination papers of a candidate for party nomination or an
8 independent candidate for any local office to be filled by the voters of any city at large shall be
9 signed, in the aggregate, by at least two hundred (200) voters of the city, provided that in the city
10 of Newport, for at-large candidates or candidates for school committee, at least one hundred (100)
11 signatures shall be required; provided, further, that in the city of Woonsocket, for candidates for
12 citywide nonpartisan office, including city council, mayor, and candidates for school committee, if
13 elected, at least one hundred (100) signatures shall be required; and provided, further that in the
14 city of Providence, at least five hundred (500) signatures shall be required.
15 (g) Voting district moderator or clerk. The nomination papers for a candidate for voting
16 district moderator or clerk in any town shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least ten (10) voters
17 of the voting district.
18 (h) Other offices. The nomination papers of a candidate for party nomination for other
19 offices covered by § 17-15-7, or for the election of delegates or for unendorsed party committee
20 candidates, shall be signed, in the aggregate, by fifty (50) voters.
21 (i) In the event only one voter files a valid declaration of candidacy for a particular elected
22 office, in accordance with § 17-14-1, no nominating signatures shall be required to be filed for that
23 unopposed candidate.
24 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2024.
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 EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A CT
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- NOMINATION OF PARTY AND INDEPENDENT
CANDIDATES
***
1 This act would remove the requirement that unopposed candidates who file valid
2 declarations of candidacy need to file nominating signatures for certification.
3 This act would take effect on January 1, 2024.
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Statutes affected:
124: 17-14-7