2019 -- S 0009

========

LC000339

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- VOTING DISTRICTS AND OFFICIALS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Coyne, Seveney, and Felag

     Date Introduced: January 09, 2019

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     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 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

     (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the board of

18

canvassers of the town of Bristol may combine two (2) or more voting districts for the

19

representative district 68 special election in March, 2019, and when combined shall be treated as

 

1

a voting district, but only upon the approval of the board of elections.

2

     If voting districts are combined pursuant to this subsection, the local board must advertise

3

the combination of districts in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town no less than

4

three (3) days before the special election.

5

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC000339

========

 

LC000339 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- VOTING DISTRICTS AND OFFICIALS

***

1

     This act would allow the board of canvassers of the town of Bristol to combine two (2) or

2

more voting districts for the representative district 68 special election in March, 2019.

3

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC000339

========

 

LC000339 - Page 3 of 3