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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