§ 17-15-13 - Voting places – Primary officials – Party officials – Appointment. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 17-15-13

   § 17-15-13  Voting places – Primaryofficials – Party officials – Appointment. – (a) From lists submitted to it by the chairperson of the state committees ofeach party, the board shall appoint and issue commissions to a sufficientnumber of qualified electors of this state to be primary inspectors so that oneinspector may be assigned for each party to each primary polling place to workwith the other primary officials of his or her party. The local board shall, atleast fifty (50) days prior to the primary, select the place or placesdesignated by it for holding the primary election provided for by this chapter.The local board shall, at least thirty-five (35) days before any primaryelection, appoint for each polling place within its city or town a primarywarden or moderator and a primary clerk in the following manner:

   (1) If there are primary contests in both major politicalparties, the warden and clerk shall be appointed as provided in § 17-11-11;

   (2) If there is a primary contest in only one of the majorpolitical parties, the warden and the clerk shall be selected from a listsubmitted by the local committee of the party in which the contest exists.

   (b) The local board shall also appoint at least thirty-fivedays (35) before any primary election, from lists submitted at least forty-five(45) days prior to the date set for the holding of the primaries, four (4)supervisors, in the following manner: (1) if there are primary contests in bothmajor political parties, one supervisor shall be appointed for each party inthe manner provided in § 17-11-11 and two (2) supervisors, one for eachparty, shall be appointed from lists submitted by a majority of the respectiveparty candidates, other than those endorsed by the party committee; (2) ifthere is no primary contest in one of the major political parties, two (2)supervisors shall be appointed from a list submitted by the local committee inwhich the contest exists, and two (2) supervisors shall be appointed from alist or lists submitted by a majority of the party candidates, other than thoseendorsed by the party committee. The local board may appoint any additionalpairs of supervisors that it may deem necessary in the same manner provided inthis subsection and shall do so when directed by the state board.

   (c) The local board shall also appoint for each party onewatcher, two (2) checkers, and the number of runners, not to exceed three (3),that the appropriate party chairperson may deem necessary, which watcher,checkers, and runners shall be designated as party officials. These partyofficials shall be appointed from lists of qualified electors who are qualifiedto vote at the respective party primaries which lists shall be furnished asprovided in subsection (b) of this section to the local board at least ten (10)days prior to the date set for the holding of the primary. If the partycandidates or a majority of them, other than those endorsed by the partycommittee, notify the local board in writing of their choices at least ten (10)days prior to the date set for the holding of the primaries, the local boardshall likewise appoint one watcher, two (2) checkers, and the number of runnersthat it shall have appointed at the request of the party chairperson, to actfor them collectively. The local board shall give them certificates as partyofficials.