Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 17-15 - Primary Elections
Section 17-15-13. - Voting places — Primary officials — Party officials — Appointment.

§ 17-15-13. Voting places — Primary officials — Party officials — Appointment.
(a) From lists submitted to it by the chairperson of the state committees of each party, the board shall appoint and issue commissions to a sufficient number of qualified electors of this state to be primary inspectors so that one inspector may be assigned for each party to each primary polling place to work with the other primary officials of his or her party. The local board shall, at least fifty (50) days prior to the primary, select the place or places designated by it for holding the primary election provided for by this chapter. The local board shall, at least thirty-five (35) days before any primary election, appoint for each polling place within its city or town a primary warden or moderator and a primary clerk in the following manner:
(1) If there are primary contests in both major political parties, 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 major political parties, the warden and the clerk shall be selected from a list submitted by the local committee of the party in which the contest exists.
(b) The local board shall also appoint at least thirty-five days (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 both major political parties, one supervisor shall be appointed for each party in the manner provided in § 17-11-11 and two (2) supervisors, one for each party, shall be appointed from lists submitted by a majority of the respective party candidates, other than those endorsed by the party committee; (2) if there 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 in which the contest exists, and two (2) supervisors shall be appointed from a list or lists submitted by a majority of the party candidates, other than those endorsed by the party committee. The local board may appoint any additional pairs of supervisors that it may deem necessary in the same manner provided in this subsection and shall do so when directed by the state board.
(c) The local board shall also appoint for each party one watcher, 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 party officials shall be appointed from lists of qualified electors who are qualified to vote at the respective party primaries which lists shall be furnished as provided 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 party candidates or a majority of them, other than those endorsed by the party committee, 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 board shall likewise appoint one watcher, two (2) checkers, and the number of runners that it shall have appointed at the request of the party chairperson, to act for them collectively. The local board shall give them certificates as party officials.
History of Section.P.L. 1947, ch. 1886, § 19; P.L. 1948, ch. 2100, § 1; P.L. 1953, ch. 3202, § 3; G.L. 1956, § 17-15-13; P.L. 1958, ch. 18, § 1; P.L. 1961, ch. 70, § 4; P.L. 1990, ch. 32, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch. 171, § 7; P.L. 2004, ch. 278, § 2; P.L. 2004, ch. 480, § 2.

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