AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- RHODE ISLAND VOTING RIGHTS ACT

This bill establishes the Rhode Island Voting Rights Act to prevent discrimination in voting by creating new legal standards that political subdivisions must follow. It prohibits election policies or practices that disproportionately affect protected classes based on race, color, language, disability, or other characteristics, without requiring proof of intentional discrimination to establish a violation. The law also addresses vote dilution by restricting election methods that impair the ability of protected groups to elect candidates of their choice, particularly when racially polarized voting is present. Local governments and election administrators would need to ensure their procedures do not create material disparities in voter access or participation opportunities.