SJ 13 — RESOLUTION PROPOSING A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO ALLOW SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLDS TO PREREGISTER TO VOTE, REGIONAL VOTING CENTERS AND EARLY VOTING.

General Assembly Proposed Senate Joint Resolution No.

28195629 Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS Introduced by:

SEN.(GAE) RESOLUTION PROPOSING A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO ALLOW SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLDS TO PREREGISTER TO VOTE, REGIONAL VOTING CENTERS AND EARLY VOTING.

LESSER, 9th Dist.

RESOLUTION PROPOSING A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO ALLOW SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLDS TO PREREGISTER TO VOTE, REGIONAL VOTING CENTERS AND EARLY VOTING.

That the Constitutionfollowing of the state be amendedtoproposed allow (1) individuals who have attained the age of sixteen years to apply for admission as an electoramendment suchto thatthe theyConstitution will be admitted as electors upon attaining theage of eighteen years, (2) the establishmentState, ofwhich, regionalwhen votingapproved centersand atadopted whichin multiplethe municipalitiesmanner mayprovided receiveby the votesConstitution, ofshall, theto electorsall withinintents such municipalities, and (3)purposes, electorsbecome toa castpart ballotsthereof: at an election prior to the day of such election.

StatementArticle thirty-first of Purpose:the amendments to the Constitution is amended to read as follows:

ToAny amendcitizen who [will have] has attained the Constitutionage of [eighteen] sixteen years [on or before the stateday toof allowa sixteen-year-oldsregular toelection] preregistermay toapply vote,for regionaladmission votingas centersan elector at such times and earlyin voting.such manner as may be prescribed by law, and, if qualified, shall become an elector on the day of his or her eighteenth birthday.

Any citizen who has not yet attained the age of eighteen years but who will have attained the age of eighteen years on or before the day of a regular election, who is otherwise qualified to be an elector and who has applied for admission as an LCO No.

28195629 1 of 14 elector in such manner as may be prescribed by law, may vote in any primary election, in such manner as may be prescribed by law, held for such regular election.

Section 7 of article sixth of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:

Sec.

7.

a.

The general assembly may provide by law for voting in the choice of any officer to be elected or upon any question to be voted on at an election by qualified voters of the state who are unable to appear at the polling place on the day of election because of absence from the city or town of which they are inhabitants or because of sickness or physical disability or because the tenets of their religion forbid secular activity.

b.

The general assembly may further provide by law for voting in person prior to the day of election in the choice of any officer to be elected or upon any question to be voted on at an election by qualified voters of the state, at polling places that serve more than one political subdivision of the state.

Section 9 of article third of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:

Sec.

9.

At all elections for members of the general assembly the presiding officers in the several towns shall [receive the votes of the electors, and] count and declare [them] the votes of the electors in open meeting.

The presiding officers shall make and certify duplicate lists of the persons voted for, and of the number of votes for each.

One list shall be delivered within three days to the town clerk, and within ten days after such meeting, the other shall be delivered [under seal] to the secretary of the state.

Section 4 of article fourth of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:

Sec.

4.

[At the meetings of the electors in the respective towns held quadrennially as herein provided for the election of state officers, the LCO No.

5629 2 of 4 presiding officers shall receive the votes and shall count and declare the same in the presence of the electors] The votes at the election of state officers shall be counted and declared in open meeting by the presiding officers in the several towns.

The presiding officers shall make and certify duplicate lists of the persons voted for, and of the number of votes for each.

One list shall be delivered within three days to the town clerk, and within ten days after such meeting, the other shall be delivered under seal to the secretary of the state.

The votes so delivered shall be counted, canvassed and declared by the treasurer, secretary, and comptroller, within the month of November.

The vote for treasurer shall be counted, canvassed and declared by the secretary and comptroller only;

the vote for secretary shall be counted, canvassed and declared by the treasurer and comptroller only;

and the vote for comptroller shall be counted, canvassed and declared by the treasurer and secretary only.

A fair list of the persons and number of votes given for each, together with the returns of the presiding officers, shall be, by the treasurer, secretary and comptroller, made and laid before the general assembly, then next to be held, on the first day of the session thereof.

In the election of governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary, treasurer, comptroller and attorney general, the person found upon the count by the treasurer, secretary and comptroller in the manner herein provided, to be made and announced before December fifteenth of the year of the election, to have received the greatest number of votes for each of such offices, respectively, shall be elected thereto;

provided, if theelectionofany ofthemshall becontestedasprovidedby statute, and if such a contest shall proceed to final judgment, the person found by the court to have received the greatest number of votes shall be elected.

If two or more persons shall be found upon the count of the treasurer, secretary and comptroller to have received an equal and the greatest number of votes for any of said offices, and the election is not contested, the general assembly on the second day of its session shall hold a joint convention of both houses, at which, without debate, a ballot shall be taken to choose such officer from those persons who received such a vote;

and the balloting shall continue on that or subsequent days until one of such persons is chosen by a majority vote of those present and LCO No.

5629 3 of 4 voting.