Deadline Approaches For Voters To Register For City Primary

Time is running out for would-be voters in a Woonsocket primary election, with just two short days remaining for registration.

Although it is not yet certain that the city will hold a municipal primary, the possibility looks promising. According to the Woonsocket City Code, a primary is held when there are more than twice as many candidates as there are places to be filled at the election.

No mayoral primary is necessary, as former Mayor Susan Menard and current Mayor Leo Fontaine were the only two candidates to register before the deadline, but for both the School Committee and City Council.

If all of those that have declared candidacy return their nomination papers to the Board of Canvassers by Sept. 20 with the required 100 signatures, 13 will compete for five seats on the school board and 18 will vie for seven spots on the council.
 
Signatures were added to the nomination papers for several of the contenders at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. Some of those who can regularly be seen at the bi-weekly meetings used the opportunity to fill out their lists. Roland Michaud, Kathryn Leblanc, Phil Labrecque, James Cournoyer, and Albert Brien, all of whom aim to join the next council, were in attendance, along with committee hopeful Jeffrey Hardy.  

Under state law, Rhode Islanders must be registered at least 30 days prior to an election in order to be eligible to cast a ballot. As a result, city voters must register by Saturday, Sept. 10 be eligible for a potential Oct. 11 primary. 

Woonsocket residents can register at on Friday, Sept. 9 from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Woonsocket Board of Canvassers has also arranged for residents to be able to register at the from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10. In order to register and vote in the primary, you must be at least 18 years old, a resident of Woonsocket and a U.S. citizen.

In addition to first-time voters, the deadline also applies to voters who have moved or changed their names recently. State law requires voters to update their voter-registration records at least 30 days before an election.

In a press release this week, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis also reminded Woonsocket residents that Sept. 20 is the deadline to request a mail ballot for the primary. Completed mail ballots must be received by the Woonsocket Board of Canvassers by 9 p.m. Oct. 11.

Voter-registration forms and mail-ballot applications can be downloaded from the Secretary of State’s website at sos.ri.gov/elections.

Voters will know whether there will be a primary for School Committee and City Council by Sept. 23, which is the deadline for the  Board to certify the signatures.

As Secretary of State, Mollis oversees many aspects of federal, state and municipal elections held in Rhode Island. His office also publishes guidebooks that include important dates in the election calendar as well as outline how to run for office and how to register and vote.

For more information elections and voting, visit sos.ri.gov/elections.