2019 -- S 0474 SUBSTITUTE A

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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

     

     Introduced By: Senators Crowley, Quezada, Sheehan, Lombardi, and Nesselbush

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (Board of Elections)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-11-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-11 entitled "Voting

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Districts and Officials" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-11-1.1. Combination of voting districts for special election.

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     (a) The board of canvassers of any city or town at which there shall be submitted to the

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voters a question or questions for their approval or rejection but or at which no state or local

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officials will be elected, shall have the authority to combine two (2) or more voting districts,

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when in its judgment the combination is advisable, and when combined shall be treated as a

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

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     (b) If voting districts are combined as provided in subsection (a) of this section, the local

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board must advertise the combination of districts in a newspaper of general circulation in the city

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or town no less than seven (7) days and no more than twenty-one (21) days before the special

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election.

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

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canvassers of the city of Woonsocket or the town of Cumberland may combine two (2) or more

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voting districts for the senate district 20 special election in April, 2008 and when combined shall

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

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

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

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three (3) days before the special election.

 

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     SECTION 2. Section 17-15-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary

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Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     17-15-5. Combination of voting districts.

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     Local boards shall have the power to combine two (2) or more voting districts within the

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same ward, and senatorial or representative district, when the absence of local contests within the

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combined voting districts makes this combination possible, and the combined district shall be

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

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     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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     This act would allow local boards of canvassers to combine voting districts in special

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elections for approval/rejection of questions or when officials will be elected or in primary

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elections but only with board of election approval.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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