Rhode Island § 45-4-16 § 45-4-16. Filling of vacancies in office.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 45-4-16 — § 45-4-16. Filling of vacancies in office.

Rhode Island § 45-4-16

Title 45Towns and cities

Ch. 45-4Election and Qualification of Officers

This text of Rhode Island § 45-4-16 (§ 45-4-16. Filling of vacancies in office.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-4-16 (2026).

Text

§ 45-4-16. Filling of vacancies in office.
(a) Whenever a vacancy occurs in any office by death, removal out of town, resignation,
            or by neglect or refusal to qualify, or for any other cause, the town council may
            fill the office until the next town meeting for the election of officers. Whenever
            from any cause there are vacancies in the town council of any town, so that there
            are not sufficient members to form a quorum, the town clerk shall call a special town
            meeting in the manner provided by law for calling special town meetings, at which
            meeting, or at any subsequent meeting called for that purpose, vacancies shall be
            filled in 

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§ 45-4-16. Filling of vacancies in office.

(a) Whenever a vacancy occurs in any office by death, removal out of town, resignation, or by neglect or refusal to qualify, or for any other cause, the town council may fill the office until the next town meeting for the election of officers. Whenever from any cause there are vacancies in the town council of any town, so that there are not sufficient members to form a quorum, the town clerk shall call a special town meeting in the manner provided by law for calling special town meetings, at which meeting, or at any subsequent meeting called for that purpose, vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided for the election of officers.

(b) Whenever a vacancy occurs in the town council of the town of West Warwick, and the town council for any reason fails to fill the vacancy within thirty (30) days after the office becomes vacant, then the town clerk shall call for a special election in the manner provided by law; however, no special election shall be called where the vacancy occurs within nine (9) months of the next general election.

Legislative History

G.L. 1896, ch. 39, § 20; G.L. 1909, ch. 49, § 20; P.L. 1910, ch. 640, § 40; G.L. 1923, ch. 50, § 20; G.L. 1938, ch. 332, § 16; G.L. 1956, § 45-4-16; P.L. 1986, ch. 304, § 1.