Chapter 079
2019 -- H 5864 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/28/2019

A N   A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS - VOTING DISTRICTS AND OFFICIALS

Introduced By: Representatives Phillips, Millea, Hawkins, Shanley, and Edwards
Date Introduced: March 15, 2019

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 17-11-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-11 entitled "Voting
Districts and Officials" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     17-11-1.1. Combination of voting districts for special election.
     (a) The board of canvassers of any city or town at which there shall be submitted to the
voters a question or questions for their approval or rejection but or at which no state or local
officials will be elected, shall have the authority to combine two (2) or more voting districts,
when in its judgment the combination is advisable, and when combined shall be treated as a
voting district, but only upon the approval of the board of elections.
     (b) If voting districts are combined as provided in subsection (a) of this section, the local
board must advertise the combination of districts in a newspaper of general circulation in the city
or town no less than seven (7) days and no more than twenty-one (21) days before the special
election.
     (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the board of
canvassers of the city of Woonsocket or the town of Cumberland may combine two (2) or more
voting districts for the senate district 20 special election in April, 2008 and when combined shall
be treated as a voting district, but only upon the approval of the board of elections.
     If voting districts are combined pursuant to this subsection, the local board must advertise
the combination of districts in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town no less than
three (3) days before the special election.
     SECTION 2. Section 17-15-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-15 entitled "Primary
Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     17-15-5. Combination of voting districts.
     Local boards shall have the power to combine two (2) or more voting districts within the
same ward, and senatorial or representative district, when the absence of local contests within the
combined voting districts makes this combination possible, and the combined district shall be
treated as a voting district, but only upon the approval of the board of elections.
     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC002173/SUB A
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