Youth Voters, ID Repeal Part Of Elections Reform Bill Package

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear a series of bills on Thursday aimed at changing elections in Rhode Island. These include allowing certain 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections, repealing the voter identification law and creating a public campaign fund.

The first bill, sponsored by Sen. Valarie Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) would allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they will turn 18 before the general election. Rep. Gregg Amore (D-Dist. 65, East Providence) introduced a similar bill in the House in late January.

"I firmly believe that if a young adult will turn 18 years old by the time of a general election, they should be able to vote in the primary election, thereby participating in the entire election cycle," Amore said at the time.

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Two other bills address campaign finances. The first, sponsored by Sen. Gayle Goldin (D-Dist. 3, Providence) would allow candidates to use campaign funds to pay for childcare if they are directly needed because of campaign activities. The second would create a public fund for campaigns in an effect to reduce the power of individuals on elections through large donations.

"Holding elected office in state government should not be exclusively for those who are wealthy or can raise a lot of money," said Sen. Sheehan said when the bill was introduced. "Our government is enriched when a broader set of candidates from different walks of life, experiences, and perspectives participate in the decision-making process of our society."

The bill would provide candidates with campaign funding vouchers if they agree to limit personal campaign contributions, with limits varying by office.

The fourth bill being considered would repeal the state's voter identification law and is also sponsored by Sen. Goldin. The current law requires that anyone taking part in an election must present a valid form of government-issued identification at their polling place, including a passport, driver's license, Rhode Island voter ID and others. A press release from Goldin's office cited data from the National Bureau of Economic Research that showed a decrease in voter turnout, especially among young, minority and poor voters since the law's enactment in 2011.

The fifth and final bill under consideration would allow emergency mail ballots to be submitted any time ahead of an election, instead of the current 20-days-or-less threshold.