Rhode Island General Laws 17-19-9.1. Ballot arrangement – Independent candidates
In all state elections at which candidates for public office are to be elected, some of whom are candidates of a political party and some of whom are independent candidates as defined in § 17-1-2(4), all independent candidates for the same public office shall be listed on the ballot, in the vertical column below the title of the office they seek, following the listing of the political party candidates for the office and in an order chosen by lottery; provided, that any independent candidate shall be entitled to have appear on the ballot, in small print to the right his or her name, the name of any political principle, movement, or organization with which the candidate wishes to be identified. The name of the political principle, movement, or organization must be identified on the declaration of candidacy, must contain not more than three (3) words, and must not include, in whole or in part, the name of any political party. If any declaration of candidacy does not contain the name of any political principle, movement, or organization, the word “independent” will appear in small print to the right the name of the candidate on the ballot. Except as provided in this section, the powers and duties of the secretary of state with respect to the preparation of the ballots shall not be affected.
History of Section.
P.L. 1994, ch. 342, § 3; P.L. 1996, ch. 277, § 12; P.L. 1996, ch. 298, § 12.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 17-19-9.1
- Candidate: means any individual who has qualified under law to have his or her name appear on the ballot for nomination for election or election to office;
(2) "Computer ballot" means the paper ballot prepared by the office of the secretary of state for use in conjunction with the optical-scan precinct-count system or the voting equipment precinct-count system then in place and procured in accordance with this chapter;
(3) "Public office" means any state, municipal, school, or district office or other position that is filled by popular election, except political party offices which shall mean any state, city, town, ward, or representative or senatorial district committee office of a political party or delegate to a political party convention, or any similar office;
(4) A "Vote" shall be any mark made with the appropriate marking device within the ballot voting area between the head and tail of the arrow or in the oval as indicated on the computer ballot next to the candidate, write-in candidate, or question, as is applicable, for whom the voter casts his or her ballot, except as provided in § 17-20-24;
(5) "Voting equipment" means an optical-scan precinct-count voting system or the voting equipment precinct-count system then in place and procured in accordance with this chapter, related memory device, all related hardware and software, accessible voting systems required by federal law, and voting booths;
(6) "Warden" includes moderator and vice versa; and
(7) "Write-in candidate" means any individual receiving votes or seeking election to office by virtue of having irregular ballots cast for him or her pursuant to § 17-19-31. See Rhode Island General Laws 17-19-1