PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis today announced the special election to fill the seat of the late Providence state Rep. Tom Slater will take place Nov. 10. A primary will be held Oct. 6, if necessary.
“Our thoughts and prayers are still with the Slater family, but knowing Tom, he would have wanted us to begin the process of ensuring that the people of his district continue to have a strong voice in the House of Representatives,” said Mollis.
State law gives the Secretary of State the authority to set special elections under certain circumstances. Slater's death last week with more than half his term remaining to be served is the primary trigger in the law. At least 75 days are required in order to accommodate all the steps in the election process such that are required by law.
The Secretary of State collaborated with the Providence Board of Canvassers in developing the special election calendar for House District 10, which Slater had represented since 1994. Mollis said the partnership with the local board will be essential to carrying out the special election.
District 10 stretches from the edges of the Armory District to Roger Williams Park. Residents must register to vote by Sept. 5 in order to vote in a primary, if necessary. Oct. 10 is the deadline for registering to vote in the Nov. 10 election.
The special election calendar includes several other crucial dates. Candidates must file their Declaration of Candidacy with the Providence Board of Canvassers on Aug. 27 or 28.
The deadline for political party endorsements is Mon., Aug. 31. Candidates can pick up their nominating papers at the Secretary of State's Elections Division at 148 West River St., Providence, beginning Tues., Sept. 1. The nominating papers – including the signatures of at least 50 House District 10 voters – must be returned to the Providence Board of Canvassers by Sept. 8.
It won't be known whether a primary will be necessary until the Providence Board of Canvassers has determined whether candidates submitted enough certified signatures to qualify for the ballot. The certification of signatures generally takes several days.
Sept. 15 is the deadline for requesting a mail ballot for a primary, if necessary. Mail ballots for the election must be requested by Oct. 20.
The last time a death in the General Assembly required a special election was in 2008, when then state Rep. Roger Picard was elected to fill the late Roger Badeau's state Senate seat (District 20 - Woonsocket, Cumberland).