Title 17
Elections

Chapter 4
Federal Elective Officers

§ 17-4-2. Territory in first and second congressional districts.

(1) It is understood and intended that for the purpose of this section a line described as running on, on, to or through any street (including road, avenue, lane, way, parkway, expressway, divided Highway, state route or interstate route, or trail), stream or river, is intended to mean the centerline of that street, stream or river, and a line described as the shoreline is intended to mean the line on the mean low water level, and a feature extension is intended to mean the imaginary straight-line extension from the end of a map feature, usually a street or road, to another feature as for example, from the end of a dead-end street to a nearby river, in all instances, unless the same shall be otherwise specified.

(2) It is further understood and intended that for the purpose of this section, the districts described in this section shall be composed of United States census geography (tracts and blocks), as defined by the 2020 version of the “TIGER” files from the United States Census Bureau, whose boundaries correspond to the below metes and bounds set forth in this section and hereby made a part of this chapter. A listing of which census blocks are contained within each district shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference.

(3)(i) It is further understood and intended that for the purpose of this section, the districts will be depicted on thirty-nine (39) maps known as Congress Plan B, compiled by Election Data Services, Inc. for each city and town, and hereinafter may be referred to as town maps.

(ii) The secretary of state shall keep a copy of each set of the foregoing maps and a copy of the census tract and block listing available for inspection during ordinary business hours at his or her office. The secretary of state shall furnish each city and town a copy of the town map covering that particular city or town within ten (10) days from the date of passage of this act.

(iii) For purposes of this title, references to “tract” or “CT” shall mean “census tract,” as that demographic unit is established by the United States Bureau of the census for the 2020 census as described by maps and publications of the bureau. References to “block,” “blocks,” or “block groups,” refer to those demographic units as established by the United States Census Bureau for the 2020 census as described by maps and publications of the bureau.

(iv) Any reference to a “city or town,” “city or town boundaries,” or “city or town limits” shall refer to the boundaries or limits of the particular city or town as defined by the 2020 version of the “TIGER” files from the United States Census Bureau.

(v) In the census tract and block listing, the first two (2) digits of a census description shall refer to the State of Rhode Island (44), the next three (3) digits of a census description shall refer to the county in which the district lies. Bristol county carries the code 001; Kent county carries the code 003; Newport county carries the code 005; Providence county carries the code 007 and Washington county carries the code 009. The next six (6) digits refer to the census tract within the county set forth in the description. The last four (4) digits refer to the census block within the census tract. “TIGER” is an acronym for the computer readable geographic data base that automates the mapping and related geographic activities required to support the United States’ Census Bureau’s census and survey programs and stands for “Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing.”

(vi) If any census tract, block, block group, or enumeration district is omitted, listed more than once, or is only partially provided for, it is intended that the districts be defined in such a manner as to not omit any area of Rhode Island from a district and to comply with the standard of Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution requiring that districts be reasonably equal. In order to carry out the intent of the general assembly as expressed in this section the secretary of state shall, if necessary, undertake measures to insure compliance with this section.

(vii) In the event of a discrepancy between the metes and bounds description, the description by census tracts and blocks, and the maps which shall be on file with the secretary of state, then the listing of census tracts and blocks shall take precedence and be controlling.

First district: The first congressional district shall consist of all of the towns of: North Smithfield; Smithfield; Lincoln; Cumberland; North Providence; Barrington; Warren; Bristol; Portsmouth; Tiverton; Little Compton; Middletown; and Jamestown and the cities of: Woonsocket; Central Falls; Pawtucket; East Providence; and Newport.

The first congressional district shall also consist of all of the part of the city of Providence bounded by a line beginning at the Providence — North Providence boundary line and State Route 146; thence southerly on State Route 146 to Branch Ave; thence westerly on Branch Ave to Moy St; thence southerly on Moy St to Concannon St; thence westerly on Concannon St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to Veazie St; thence southeasterly on Veazie St to Eva St; thence southerly on Eva St to Admiral St; thence easterly on Admiral St to Douglas Ave; thence southerly on Douglas Ave to Berkshire St; thence northeasterly on Berkshire St to March St; thence southeasterly on March St to Chad Brown St; thence northeasterly on Chad Brown St to census block 440070027003019; thence southeasterly on the line between census blocks 440070027003019 — 440070027003020 and 440070027003019 — 440070027003021 to Fillmore St; thence southwesterly on Fillmore St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to Chalkstone Ave; thence northeasterly on Chalkstone Ave to N Davis St; thence southerly on N Davis St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to I-95; thence southerly on I-95 to Smith St; thence easterly on Smith St to Francis St; thence southerly on Francis St to Gaspee St; thence easterly on Gaspee St to the eastern boundary line of Providence Amtrak Station and the New York New Haven and Hartford RR; thence northerly on New York New Haven and Hartford RR to Smith St; thence easterly on Smith St to the Moshassuck River; thence southerly on the Moshassuck River to Washington Pl; thence southwesterly on Washington Pl to Memorial Blvd; thence southeasterly on Memorial Blvd to Dyer St; thence southerly on Dyer St to Eddy St; thence southeasterly on Eddy St to Elm St; thence southwesterly on Elm St to Richmond St; thence northwesterly on Richmond St to Ship St; thence westerly on Ship St to Clifford St; thence southwesterly on Clifford St to Chestnut St; thence northwesterly on Chestnut St to census block 40070008003072; thence northeasterly and northerly on the boundary line between census blocks 40070008003072 — 440070008003067 to Weybosset St; thence southwesterly on Weybosset St to Broad St; thence southwesterly on Broad St to I-95; thence southeasterly on I-95 to US Hwy 6; thence easterly on US Hwy 6 to Eddy St; thence southerly on Eddy St to Blackstone St; thence westerly on Blackstone St to Friendship St; thence southwesterly on Friendship St to Broad St; thence northerly on Broad St to Trinity Sq; thence southwesterly on Trinity Sq to Bridgham St; thence northwesterly on Bridgham St to Cranston St; thence southwesterly on Cranston St to Chapin Ave; thence westerly on Chapin Ave to Messer St; thence southerly on Messer St to Wendell St; thence westerly on Wendell St to Service Rd 1; thence southerly on Service Rd 1 to Union Ave; thence westerly on Union Ave to State Highway 10; thence southerly on State Highway 10 to the Providence — Cranston boundary line; thence southerly and easterly on the Providence — Cranston boundary line to the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR; thence northeasterly on the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR to Elmwood Ave; thence southeasterly on Elmwood Ave to Linden Ave; thence easterly and southerly on Linden Ave to Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd; thence northeasterly on Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd to Park Path; thence northeasterly on Park Path to Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd; thence northeasterly, southerly, and easterly on Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd to Montgomery Ave; thence easterly on Montgomery Ave to the Providence — Cranston boundary line; thence easterly on the Providence — Cranston boundary line to the Providence — East Providence boundary line; thence northerly on the Providence — East Providence boundary line to the Providence — Pawtucket boundary line; thence westerly on the Providence — Pawtucket boundary line to the Providence — North Providence boundary line; thence westerly on the Providence — North Providence boundary line to the point of origin.

Second district: The second congressional district shall consist of all of the towns of: Burrillville; Glocester; Foster; Scituate; Johnston; Coventry; West Warwick; West Greenwich; East Greenwich; Exeter; North Kingstown; Narragansett; New Shoreham; South Kingstown; Charlestown; Richmond; Hopkinton; and Westerly and the cities of: Cranston and Warwick.

The second congressional district shall also consist of all of the part of the city of Providence bounded by a line beginning at the Providence — North Providence boundary line and State Route 146; thence southerly on State Route 146 to Branch Ave; thence westerly on Branch Ave to Moy St; thence southerly on Moy St to Concannon St; thence westerly on Concannon St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to Veazie St; thence southeasterly on Veazie St to Eva St; thence southerly on Eva St to Admiral St; thence easterly on Admiral St to Douglas Ave; thence southerly on Douglas Ave to Berkshire St; thence northeasterly on Berkshire St to March St; thence southeasterly on March St to Chad Brown St; thence northeasterly on Chad Brown St to census block 440070027003019; thence southeasterly on the line between census blocks 440070027003019 — 440070027003020 and 440070027003019 — 440070027003021 to Fillmore St; thence southwesterly on Fillmore St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to Chalkstone Ave; thence northeasterly on Chalkstone Ave to N Davis St; thence southerly on N Davis St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to I-95; thence southerly on I-95 to Smith St; thence easterly on Smith St to Francis St; thence southerly on Francis St to Gaspee St; thence easterly on Gaspee St to the eastern boundary line of Providence Amtrak Station and the New York New Haven and Hartford RR; thence northerly on New York New Haven and Hartford RR to Smith St; thence easterly on Smith St to the Moshassuck River; thence southerly on the Moshassuck River to Washington Pl; thence southwesterly on Washington Pl to Memorial Blvd; thence southeasterly on Memorial Blvd to Dyer St; thence southerly on Dyer St to Eddy St; thence southeasterly on Eddy St to Elm St; thence southwesterly on Elm St to Richmond St; thence northwesterly on Richmond St to Ship St; thence westerly on Ship St to Clifford St; thence southwesterly on Clifford St to Chestnut St; thence northwesterly on Chestnut St to census block 40070008003072; thence northeasterly and northerly on the boundary line between census blocks 40070008003072 — 440070008003067 to Weybosset St; thence southwesterly on Weybosset St to Broad St; thence southwesterly on Broad St to I-95; thence southeasterly on I-95 to US Hwy 6; thence easterly on US Hwy 6 to Eddy St; thence southerly on Eddy St to Blackstone St; thence westerly on Blackstone St to Friendship St; thence southwesterly on Friendship St to Broad St; thence northerly on Broad St to Trinity Sq; thence southwesterly on Trinity Sq to Bridgham St; thence westerly and northwesterly on Bridgham St to Cranston St; thence southwesterly on Cranston St to Chapin Ave; thence westerly on Chapin Ave to Messer St; thence southerly on Messer St to Wendell St; thence westerly on Wendell St to Service Rd 1; thence southerly on Service Rd 1 to Union Ave; thence westerly on Union Ave to State Highway 10; thence southerly on State Highway 10 to the Providence — Cranston boundary line; thence southerly and easterly on the Providence — Cranston boundary line to the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR; thence northeasterly on the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR to Elmwood Ave; thence southeasterly on Elmwood Ave to Linden Ave; thence easterly and southerly on Linden Ave to Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd; thence northeasterly on Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd to Park Path; thence northeasterly on Park Path to Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd; thence northeasterly, southerly, and easterly on Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd to Montgomery Ave; thence easterly on Montgomery Ave to the Providence — Cranston boundary line; thence westerly, southerly and northerly on the Providence — Cranston boundary line to the Providence — Johnston boundary line; thence northerly on the Providence — Johnston boundary line to the Providence — North Providence boundary line; thence northeasterly on the Providence — North Providence boundary line to the point of origin.