Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697804086498.pdf (Marshall Islands)
Election and Referenda (Amendment) Act 2018 BILL No:140 ND1Index NITIJELA OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS 39TH CONSTITUTION REGULAR SESSION, 2018 s Republic of the Marshall Islands Jepilpilin Ke Ejukaan ELECTION AND REFERENDA (AMENDMENT) ACT 2018 Index Section Page §101.

Short title.

.............................................................................................................................. 3 §102.

Amendments.
Amendments.

........................................................................................................................ 3 Effective date.

........................................................................................................................ 4 §103.
l Page1 IndexBILL No:140 ND1 Election and Referenda (Amendment) Act 2018 1 2 Page2 r Election and Referenda (Amendment) Act 2018 BILL No:140 ND1§101 NITIJELA OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS 39TH CONSTITUTION REGULAR SESSION, 2018 s Republic of the Marshall Islands Jepilpilin Ke Ejukaan ELECTION AND REFERENDA (AMENDMENT) ACT 2018 A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend Title 2, Chapter 1 of the Marshall Islands Revised Code, to change the closing date of filing of nomination by candidates of Nitijela from three months to one year prior to the date of election and not later than the end of the third year calendar.
The leave of absence of Public Service including the State- Owned Enterprises, Justice (MIPD) and the Public School System Employee as well as politically appointed Public Official stands for election (deemed to have resigned from Office) shall commence three (3) months prior to the date of election.

1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE NITIJELA OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS 26 §101.

Short title.
Short title.

This Act may be cited as the Election and Referenda (Amendment) Act 2018.

§102.

Amendments.

Section 108(2)(3) of the Elections and Referenda Act 1980 is hereby amended to read as follows: §108.

Nitijela elections.
Nitijela elections.

(2) In accordance with Article IV, Section 5 of the Constitution of the Marshall Islands, every employee of the Public Service, including the State-Owned Enterprises, the Public School System, Justice (Marshall Islands Police Department) who becomes a candidate for election as a member of Nitijela shall be granted leave of absence.
That leave of absence shall commence three (3) months prior to the date of election on the closing date of nomination pursuant to Section 146(1) of this Act.
If any Public Service, including the State-Owned Enterprises, the l Page3 BILL No:140 ND1§146 Election and Referenda (Amendment) Act 2018 Public School System and Islands Police Department) employee is declared elected as a member of Nitijela, he shall be deemed to have resigned from his employment in the Public Service provided in this Section.
(Marshall Justice (3) If any Confirmed politically appointed Public Official stands for election as a member of Nitijela, he shall be deemed to have resigned his office.

That resignation shall be deemed to take effect three (3) months prior to the election date pursuant to Section 108(2) on the date that the candidate certifies to the Chief Electoral Officer in the certificate prescribed by Section 145(1) that he is willing and qualified to stand for election.
Section 146(1) of the Elections and Referenda Act 1980 is hereby amended to read as follows: §146.

Time and Closure of Nomination.


(1) The nomination papers with respect to an election shall be filed with the Chief Electoral Officer or the person appointed under pursuant to Section 145(2) of this Chapter on or before the closing date of nomination determined by the Chief Electoral Officer for the purposes of the election, not later than the end of the third year calendar year and in conformity pursuant to Section 136(1) of this Chapter three (3) months prior to the date of the election.

§103.
§103.

Effective date.

This Act shall take effect upon certification, in accordance with Article IV, Section 21 of the Constitution and the Rules of Procedures of the Nitijela.
Page4 r Election and Referenda (Amendment) Act 2018 BILL No:140 ND1 NITIJELA OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS 39TH CONSTITUTION REGULAR SESSION, 2018 ELECTION AND REFERENDA (AMENDMENT) ACT 2018 BILL SUMMARY This Bill proposes to scale back the closing date of filing of nomination by candidates to the Nitijela from three months prior to the date of the election to a date not later than the third year calendar.
The reason for this proposed amendment is to provide for ample time for all voters to get to know each candidate seeking office, thus providing them the opportunity to make informed decisions on whom they shall elect to be their representative during each general election.
It is important to note that the proposed closing date of filing of nomination is made in conformity with the closure of registration of voters, of which a voter may register or change registration during the first three years before the fourth calendar year before the general election of the Nitijela of which the voters registration shall close.
The language also includes any Public Official(s) stands for election or local official(s) (Nitijela, Mayor, or Councilman Stands for election within the Local Government) shall be deemed to have resigned from their Offices three (3) months prior to the date of election.

Lastly, it also proposes to distinct the commencement of leave of absence of Public Service, State-Owned, Enterprises, and Judiciary Employees or Public Official from the closing date of nomination.
l Page5 Election and Referenda (Amendment) Act 2018 NITIJELA OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS 39TH CONSTITUTION REGULAR SESSION, 2018 ELECTION AND REFERENDA (AMENDMENT) ACT 2018 SIGNATURES DATE: ___________ INTRODUCED BY ___________________ _____________________ Signature Print Name DATE: ___________ INTRODUCED BY ___________________ _____________________ Signature Print Name DATE: ___________ INTRODUCED BY ___________________ _____________________ Signature Print Name DATE: ___________ INTRODUCED BY ___________________ _____________________ Signature Print Name DATE: ___________ INTRODUCED BY ___________________ _____________________ Signature Print Name Page6 r Election and Referenda (Amendment) Act 2018 1 l Page7