It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 17-19 of the General Laws entitled "Conduct of Elections and Voting Machines and Supplies" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
{ADD 17-19-3.6. Optical scan precinct count technology to be employed in North Providence election -- Declaration of purpose. -- ADD}
{ADD WHEREAS, The Town of North Providence has called for a special election to be held on March 21, 1995 for the purpose of voting upon the question, "Shall a commission be appointed to frame a charter?" and for choosing nine (9) persons to serve as members of the charter commission in the event that the above question is answered in the affirmative; and
WHEREAS, The records of the North Providence Board of Canvassers indicate that fifty-five (55) candidates filed declarations of candidacy; and
WHEREAS, The lever voting machines available from the state board of elections mechanically cannot allow a voter to cast up to nine (9) votes, to which the voter is entitled to vote, when there are more than thirty (30) candidates in said race; and
WHEREAS, The General Assembly finds that it is in the public interest to provide a system for said election other than a paper ballot which would need to be manually counted and which would delay the results of the election;
THEREFORE, The General Assembly determines that an optical scan precinct count system shall be employed in the town of North Providence to the extent provided in section 17-19-3.7. ADD}
{ADD 17-19-3.7. Optical scan precinct count voting equipment -- Trial basis. -- ADD} {ADD Notwithstanding any law to the contrary contained in titles 17 and 45, and provided that the state does not incur any costs greater than ordinarily would be incurred in the conduct of the hereinafter described election, the board of elections and the secretary of state shall conduct the election referred to in section 17-19-3.6, through the use of the Optec III-PE Eagle optical scan precinct count units and related voting equipment as provided by the vendor, Business Records Corporation, BRC. ADD}
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.