2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 17 - Elections › Chapter 17-19 - Conduct of Election and Voting Equipment, and Supplies › Section 17-19-37.3. - Recount eligibility — Ballot questions and other offices.

§ 17-19-37.3. Recount eligibility — Ballot questions and other offices.
(1)
A person, group or organization of “recognized standing” regarding a ballot question, as determined by the board of elections, may request a recount of the votes cast on the ballot question pursuant to the following:
(a)
The person, group or organization may request a recount of the votes cast at each precinct by re-reading the programmed memory device or devices and comparing the results and totals obtained at such recount with the results and totals obtained on election night, provided that for those ballot questions where less than one hundred thousand (100,000) votes are cast the difference between the approval or rejection of the question shall be by two percent (2%) or less; and, for those ballot questions where one hundred thousand (100,000) or more votes are cast the difference between the approval or rejection of the question shall be by one percent (1%) or less. If, after said recount, the difference between the approval or rejection of the ballot question shall be less than one-half of one percent (½%) or five hundred (500) votes, whichever is less, the petitioner may request a recount pursuant to subsection (1)(b) of this section.
(b)
The person, group or organization may request a recount of the votes cast at each precinct by a manual re-feeding of the computer ballots are cast into the optical scan voting equipment if the difference between the approval and rejection of the ballot question shall be by less than one-half of one percent (½%) or five hundred (500) votes, whichever is less.
(c)
For the purpose of determining recount eligibility for ballot questions, as prescribed in subsections (1)(a) and (b) of this section, only the total number of votes cast as “approve” and “reject” for said question shall be included.
(2)
A candidate for any office other than a public office shall be eligible to request a recount of the votes cast in his or her race pursuant to the following:
(a)(i)
In those races in which a single candidate is elected a candidate who trails the winning candidate by less than two percent (2%) or one hundred (100) votes, whichever is less, may request a recount of the votes cast at each precinct by re-reading the programmed memory device or devices and comparing the results and totals obtained at such recount with the results and totals obtained on election night.
(ii)
For the purpose of determining recount eligibility, as prescribed in subsection (2)(a)(i) of this section, the number of votes cast in a race shall include the votes cast for candidates and irregular ballots cast pursuant to § 17-19-31.
(b)
In those races in which more than one but less than eight (8) candidates are elected a candidate who trails the winning candidate by less than one percent (1%) or twenty-five (25) votes, whichever is less, may request a recount of the votes cast at each precinct by re-reading the programmed memory device or devices and comparing the results and totals obtained at such recount with the results and totals obtained on election night.
(c)
In those races in which more eight (8) or more candidates are elected a candidate who trails the winning candidate by less than one-half of one percent (½%) or twenty-five (25) votes, whichever is less, may request a recount of the votes cast at each precinct by re-reading the programmed memory device or devices and comparing the results and totals obtained at such recount with the results and totals obtained on election night.
(d)
For the purpose of determining recount eligibility, as prescribed in subsections (2)(b) and (c) of this section, the total number of votes cast in a race shall be determined by dividing the total number of votes eligible to be cast in the race by the number of candidates for whom each voter was eligible to cast votes.
The state board shall have the authority to adopt rules and regulations to implement and administer the provisions of this section.
History of Section.
P.L. 2004, ch. 264, § 2; P.L. 2004, ch. 483, § 2.