2017 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 17 - Elections
Chapter 17-19 - Conduct of Election and Voting Equipment, and Supplies
Section 17-19-20 - Repair or replacement of defective machines.

§ 17-19-20. Repair or replacement of defective machines.

If an optical scan precinct count unit becomes out of order, the warden shall notify the voting equipment technician assigned to respond to those calls. While repairing or otherwise attending to the repair of any voting machine equipment, the voting equipment technician shall display, in a visible manner and on his or her clothing, an identification furnished by the state board of elections, and which shall include, whenever possible, a photograph of the voting equipment technician. In the event that repairs are made to the voting equipment, the voting equipment technician shall make the repairs in the presence of a bi-partisan pair of election officials, and the technician shall note on the official document provided the nature and extent of the repairs made by the technician, the number of the optical scan precinct count unit, the time required to make the repairs, and the probable cause of the failure to operate properly. If any optical scan precinct count unit cannot be repaired by the technician within a period of thirty (30) minutes, the technician and the board shall at once substitute another optical scan precinct count unit for the out of order unit, and at the close of the polls the records of both units shall be taken. During the time in which the optical scan precinct count unit is not accepting ballots, the warden shall, in the presence of the clerk, unlock the emergency bin compartment of the optical scan unit and shall direct voters to place their voted ballots into that compartment. Upon the repair of the unit, the warden, in the presence of the clerk, shall remove the ballots, deposit them in the appropriate ballot slot for counting by the unit, and shall then close and lock the emergency compartment slot.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1935, ch. 2195, § 15; P.L. 1938, ch. 2640, § 2; G.L. 1938, ch. 318, § 11; P.L. 1940, ch. 818, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 17-19-23; G.L. 1956, § 17-19-20; P.L. 1958, ch. 18, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 388, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 277, § 12; P.L. 1996, ch. 298, § 12.)