Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-8-1 (2026)

Appointment of bipartisan authority

✓ current as of July 2026
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The legislative body of each city and town shall appoint a bipartisan canvassing authority of three (3) qualified electors of the city or town, not more than two (2) of whom shall belong to the same political party, and may appoint two (2) alternate members, not more than one of whom shall belong to the same political party. At any meeting of the canvassing authority at which a member is to be absent, the member may request that an alternate replace him or her for that meeting; provided, that the alternate member must be of the same political party as the member. The mayor or the president of the town council shall nominate the members of the canvassing authority from lists of party voters submitted by the respective chairpersons of the city or town political committee, which lists shall contain the names of five (5) times the number of persons to be appointed. If the legislative body refuses to approve the nomination of any person to the canvassing authority, the mayor or the president shall submit to the legislative body another person named on one of the lists, and so on until a person is appointed. If the chairperson of the city or town committee of a political party entitled to an appointment fails or refuses to submit a list, the mayor or the president shall nominate any party voter of the political party entitled to the appointment.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases, 1960–2002 · leading case: Gill v. State of Rhode Island, 933 F. Supp. 151 (D.R.I. 1996).
Gill v. State of Rhode Island, 933 F. Supp. 151 (D.R.I. 1996). · cites it 8× “G.L. § 17-8-1, Local Canvassing Authorities, Appointment of bipartisan authority; R.”
Whitehouse v. Moran, 808 A.2d 626 (R.I. 2002). · cites it 2× “Although it is somewhat doubtful that the office of a member of a board of canvassers is an elective office, (members of the board are appointed by the town council, pursuant to G.L.1956 § 17-8-1) we shall assume, without deciding, for purposes of this opinion, that it might be…”
Folcarelli v. Spencer, 180 A.2d 322 (R.I. 1962). · cites it 10× “1956, §17-8-1). The act, as thus amended, prescribed that the members of such authorities were to be nominated and elected from lists submitted by the respective chairmen of the local party committees, with the proviso that if the chairman of the party committee entitled to the…”
Nugent ex rel. Logee v. Bristow, 163 A.2d 41 (R.I. 1960). · cites it 7× “1956, §17-8-1, as amended, to fill an unexpired term which ended on November 19, 1959.”
Olsen v. Gee, 181 A.2d 442 (R.I. 1962). · cites it 4× “1956, §§17-8-1 and 17-8-2. On the same day and in accordance therewith the council thereupon elected respondents as members of the board and respondent Peckham as clerk thereof.”
Nugent Ex Rel. Cote v. Mullen, 166 A.2d 409 (R.I. 1960). “1956, §17-8-1. That statute as thus amended reads in part as follows: “The legislative body of each city and town shall appoint a bi-partisan canvassing authority of three (3) qualified electors of said city or town, not more than two' (2) of whom shall belong to the same…”
Sibielski v. Acciardo, 277 A.2d 307 (R.I. 1971). “ppears from said petition and the appropriate papers certified to this court that petitioner, on June 26, 1967, was duly appointed by the Johnston Town Council as a republican member to the Johnston Board of Canvassers, having been chosen therefor from a list of five electors…”
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