§ 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.