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HB 5713

AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- LOCAL CANVASSING AUTHORITY

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Chippendale and 9 co-sponsors

Bans local canvassing authority members from holding partisan offices to ensure nonpartisan local election administration.

03/18/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 5713

HB 5713 Summary — An Act Relating to Elections — Local Canvassing Authority

Overview

HB 5713 proposes to modify the eligibility rules for members serving on local canvassing authorities in Rhode Island. The core aim is to strengthen the separation between partisan political activity and local election administration by restricting partisan involvement in canvassing bodies.

  • Bill number: HB 5713
  • Title: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — LOCAL CANVASSING AUTHORITY
  • Status: Committee recommended measure be held for further study (as of 03/18/2025)
  • Introduced: February 26, 2025
  • Referred to: House State Government & Elections
  • Related section: Amends 17-8-2 of the Rhode Island General Laws (Local Canvassing Authorities)

Purpose and Intent

  • To prohibit members of elected city/town political party committees and representative/senate district committees from serving on local canvassing authorities.
  • To ensure local canvassing authorities operate in a nonpartisan manner, reducing potential conflicts of interest in election administration.

Key Provisions

  • Section 17-8-2 (Term and qualifications for office):
    • Terms: Each local canvassing authority member serves a six-year term, beginning on the first Monday of March after appointment, until successor is elected and qualified.
    • Eligibility: No member may be an officer or employee of the United States, Rhode Island, or the authority’s city/town. In a city, a member may hold the position of clerk.
    • Candidacy declination: If a member becomes a candidate for public office and fails to file a candidacy declination within the time allowed by law, the member is disqualified from serving, and the successor is immediately elected.
  • Section 17-8-2 (Prohibition on partisan roles):
    • No member may hold any partisan office (including town/city party committees or representative/senate district committees).
    • If a member fails to file a declination of candidacy within ten days of declaring candidacy, they face a $500 fine and immediate dismissal from the canvassing authority.
    • The declination requirement also applies to membership on partisan elected state committees.
  • Section 2 (Effective date):
    • The act would take effect upon passage.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Members currently serving on local canvassing authorities.
  • Individuals seeking appointment to local canvassing authorities.
  • Any member who becomes a candidate for public office and any member who holds or seeks partisan office in elected party committees (city/town or representative/senate district committees).

Timeline and Procedural Notes

  • Introduced: February 26, 2025
  • Referrals: House State Government & Elections (initially listed as introduced)
  • Hearing/Consideration: Scheduled around March 14, 2025 (as per calendar)
  • Committee Action: March 18, 2025 — recommended the measure be held for further study
  • Effective date: Upon passage

Potential Impact

  • Strengthens nonpartisan administration of elections at the local level.
  • May prompt vacancies or changes in local canvassing authorities to comply with the new prohibitions.
  • Establishes penalties and clear declination requirements to deter partisan affiliations among canvassing authority members.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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