(a)  Each warden or moderator and each primary supervisor appointed under the provisions of § 17-15-13 and § 17-15-16 shall be able to read the Constitution of the state in the English language, and to write his or her name, and shall, whenever possible, be a voter of the senatorial district, representative district, or town, ward, or voting district from which he or she is appointed.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 17-15-14

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9

(b)  No person shall be appointed to serve as a primary official who has been convicted, found guilty, pleaded guilty or nolo contendere, or placed on a deferred or suspended sentence or on probation for any crime that involved moral turpitude or a violation of any of the election, caucus, or primary laws of this or any other state.

(c)  No person serving as a primary official may serve in such capacity in the city or town in which they are a municipal employee.

(d)  No person who is seeking nomination or election at any primary election shall act as a primary official at that primary.

(e)  Every primary official shall make an affidavit before the proper local board or some member of the board to the effect that the official is not disqualified by reason of the provisions of this section.

History of Section.
P.L. 1947, ch. 1886, § 19; P.L. 1948, ch. 2100, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 17-15-14; P.L. 1958, ch. 18, § 1; P.L. 1966, ch. 116, § 11; P.L. 2004, ch. 278, § 2; P.L. 2004, ch. 480, § 2; P.L. 2017, ch. 7, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 21, § 1.