Title 17Elections

Title 17Elections

Chapter 20Mail Ballots

R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-3

§ 17-20-3. Definitions.

(a) Wherever used in this chapter, every word importing only the masculine gender is construed to extend to, and include, females as well as males.

(b) Whenever used in this chapter, “bipartisan pairs of supervisors” for primaries means a supervisor representing the endorsed candidates and a supervisor representing a majority of unendorsed candidates, and for nonpartisan elections and primaries means nonpartisan pairs of supervisors.

(c) Wherever used in this chapter, “employed outside of the United States” includes any person who is:

(1) Employed by any agency, department, or division of the United States government and who, by reason of that employment, resides outside of the continental United States;

(2) Employed outside the territorial limits of the United States; or

(3) A spouse or dependent residing with persons so employed.

(d) Wherever used in this chapter, “services intimately connected with military operations” includes members of religious groups or welfare agencies assisting members of the armed forces who are officially attached to and serving with the armed forces and their spouses and dependents, and the spouses and dependents of members of the armed forces and of the merchant marine; provided, that the spouses and dependents are residing outside of the state with the members of the armed forces, merchant marine, or members of the religious or welfare agencies.

(e) Whenever a signature is required by a voter in this chapter, “signature” also means the voter’s mark if the person is unable to sign their name because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write, or by affixing the voter’s signature by a person providing assistance to the voter in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.

(f) Whenever used in this chapter, “bipartisan” means not of the same recognized political party.

(g) Whenever used in this chapter, “emergency” voting pursuant to § 17-20-2.2(g) shall be construed to mean “early” voting.

History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 258, § 2; P.L. 1990, ch. 227, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 56, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 121, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 314, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 459, § 1; P.L. 2022, ch. 45, § 5, effective June 7, 2022; P.L. 2022, ch. 46, § 5, effective June 7, 2022; P.L. 2024, ch. 191, § 1, effective June 17, 2024; P.L. 2024, ch. 192, § 1, effective June 17, 2024.