2013 -- H 5495

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LC01283

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (MAJORITY VOTE

REQUIREMENT FOR GOVERNOR'S ELECTION

     Introduced By: Representative Spencer E. Dickinson

     Date Introduced: February 14, 2013

     Referred To: House Judiciary

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     WHEREAS, The proposed amendment to Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution of the

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State is intended to resolve that successful candidates for governor receive a majority of votes

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cast.

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     RESOLVED, That a majority of all members elected to each house of the general

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assembly voting therefore, the following amendment to the Constitution of the State be proposed

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to the qualified electors of the state in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the

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Constitution for their approval and the following section is hereby amended, effective January 1,

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2015 read as follows:

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     ARTICLE IV

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     OF ELECTIONS AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE

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     Section 2. Election by majority or plurality. – (a) Except as provided in Article IV,

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sections 2 (b) and (c) of this constitution, in In all elections held by the people for state, city,

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town, ward or district officers, the person or candidate receiving the largest number of votes cast

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shall be declared elected.

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     (b) Commencing with any election for governor of the state held on or after January 1,

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2015, in elections for governor of the state, if no person receives a majority of the votes cast for

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governor, the board of elections shall declare that no person has been elected. A run-off election

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shall be held and the two (2) persons who received the greatest number of votes for governor in

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the general election shall be the candidates in the run-off election. The person who receives the

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majority part of the votes in the run-off election shall be declared to be elected governor of the

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state. The procedure for determining the results for the vote for governor in the run-off election

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shall be the same as the procedure for determining the results of the vote in the general election.

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     RESOLVED, That the said proposition of amendments shall be submitted to the electors

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for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the

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several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for

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general officers of the state; and be if further

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     RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause the said proposition of amendments

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to be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the

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said meetings of the said electors and the said proposition shall be read by the town, ward, or

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district meetings to be held as a foresaid; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the town, ward, and district meetings to be held aforesaid shall be

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warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and

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district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town,

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ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state.

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LC01283

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (MAJORITY VOTE

REQUIREMENT FOR GOVERNOR'S ELECTION

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     This amendment to the constitution of the state, if adopted, would provide for run-off

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elections for governor if no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast in the November

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general election.

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LC01283

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