Chapter 389

2009 -- H 5094

Enacted 01/05/10

 

A N A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- FEDERAL ELECTIVE OFFICERS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Fierro, Pacheco, Gablinske, Sullivan, and Savage

     Date Introduced: January 14, 2009

 

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

 

     SECTION 1. Section 17-4-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-4 entitled "Federal

Elective Officers" is hereby amended to read as follows:

 

     17-4-9. Special election to fill senatorial vacancy -- Temporary appointment.

Special election to fill senatorial vacancy. -- Whenever a person elected a senator in congress,

at any time between the day of that person's election and the beginning of his or her term of

office, refuses to serve and so declares to the secretary of state, or dies, becomes insane, removes

from the state, or is otherwise incapacitated, or whenever a vacancy happens in the representation

of this state in the United States senate, the governor shall issue his or her writ of election

directed to the several city and town clerks, or local boards as the case may be, ordering a new

election of senator to fill the vacancy to be held in the state at the next general election after the

expiration of seventy (70) days from the date of the occurrence of the vacancy; provided, that

pending the election, the governor shall appoint some person to fill the vacancy, and the person

appointed shall serve until the election and qualification of the person elected to fill the vacancy.

at as early a date, to be stated in the writ, as will be in compliance with the provisions of law in

relation to these elections, but no election provided for by this section shall be held exclusively on

Saturday; provided, that whenever a vacancy occurs between the first day of July and the first

day of October in any even numbered year, the governor shall, unless in his or her opinion the

public good requires an earlier special election, issue his or her writ for a special election to fill

the vacancy to be held with the general election on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in

November of that year.

 

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

     

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LC00274

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