Rhode Island Representative John G. Edwards (D-Portsmouth) has introduced HB 7509. It would expand the petitioning period for a petition to qualify a new party. It says such a petition may begin to circulate for a future election, on the day after the prior election. In other words, if this bill is enacted, a petition to create a party for the 2020 election could start to circulate on November 7, 2018.
Current law says the petition can’t circulate until January 1 of the election year it is intended for, but that law was declared unconstitutional several years ago in a case won by the Moderate Party.
Every election is NEW — for each separate office.
EQUAL ballot access tests for each such separate office.