2019 -- H 5864 | |
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LC002173 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO ELECTIONS - VOTING DISTRICTS AND OFFICIALS | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Phillips, Millea, Hawkins, Shanley, and Edwards | |
Date Introduced: March 15, 2019 | |
Referred To: House Judiciary | |
(Board of Elections) | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 17-11-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-11 entitled "Voting |
2 | Districts and Officials" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 17-11-1.1. Combination of voting districts for special election. |
4 | (a) The board of canvassers of any city or town at which there shall be submitted to the |
5 | voters a question or questions for their approval or rejection but or at which no state or local |
6 | officials will be elected, shall have the authority to combine two (2) or more voting districts, |
7 | when in its judgment the combination is advisable, and when combined shall be treated as a |
8 | voting district, but only upon the approval of the board of elections. |
9 | (b) If voting districts are combined as provided in subsection (a) of this section, the local |
10 | board must advertise the combination of districts in a newspaper of general circulation in the city |
11 | or town no less than seven (7) days and no more than twenty-one (21) days before the special |
12 | election. |
13 | (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the board of |
14 | canvassers of the city of Woonsocket or the town of Cumberland may combine two (2) or more |
15 | voting districts for the senate district 20 special election in April, 2008 and when combined shall |
16 | be treated as a voting district, but only upon the approval of the board of elections. |
17 | If voting districts are combined pursuant to this subsection, the local board must advertise |
18 | the combination of districts in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town no less than |
19 | three (3) days before the special election. |
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1 | SECTION 2. Section 17-15-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary |
2 | Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 17-15-5. Combination of voting districts. |
4 | Local boards shall have the power to combine two (2) or more voting districts within the |
5 | same ward, and senatorial or representative district, when the absence of local contests within the |
6 | combined voting districts makes this combination possible, and the combined district shall be |
7 | treated as a voting district, but only upon the approval of the board of elections. |
8 | SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO ELECTIONS - VOTING DISTRICTS AND OFFICIALS | |
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1 | This act would allow local boards of canvassers to combine voting districts in special |
2 | elections for approval/rejection of questions or when officials will be elected or in primary |
3 | elections but only with board of election approval. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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