Rhode Island General Laws 17-19-46. False instructions as to marking a computer ballot and the operation of optical scan precinct count units
Whoever, with intent to defraud a voter of his or her vote, or to cause a voter to lose his or her vote, gives in any way, or prints, writes, circulates, or causes to be written, printed, or circulated, any improper, false, misleading, or incorrect instructions or advice or suggestions of how to vote by computer ballot in conjunction with the optical scan precinct count unit, the following of which would cause any voter to lose his or her votes or would cause him or her to fail to register or record the votes on the optical scan precinct count unit for any candidate or question according to his or her choice, shall be guilty of a felony.
History of Section.
P.L. 1935, ch. 2195, § 25; G.L. 1938, ch. 318, § 21; P.L. 1940, ch. 818, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 17-19-43; G.L. 1956, § 17-19-46; P.L. 1958, ch. 18, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 201, § 9; P.L. 1996, ch. 277, § 12; P.L. 1996, ch. 298, § 12.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 17-19-46
- 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