Page:The Federal and state constitutions v6.djvu/59

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
Rhode Island—1842
3239

Sec. 7. In elections by the general assembly in grand committee the person receiving a majority of the votes shall be elected. Every person elected by the general assembly to fill a vacancy, or pursuant to section 3 of this article, shall hold his office for the remainder of the term or for the full term, as the case may be, and until his successor is elected and qualified.

Sec. 8. A quorum of the grand committee shall consist of a majority of all the members of the senate and a majority of all the members of the house of representatives duly assembled pursuant to an invitation from one of said bodies which has been accepted by the other, and the acceptance of which has been communicated by message to the body in which such invitation originated, and each house shall be attended by its secretaries and clerks. No act or business of any kind shall be done in grand committee other than that which is distinctly specified in the invitation by virtue of which such grand committee is assembled, except to take a recess or to dissolve: Provided, that the grand committee may appoint a sub-committee of its own members to count any ballots delivered to it and report the result of such count.

Sec. 9. The governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, attorney-general, general treasurer, and senators and representatives in the general assembly in office when this amendment goes into effect shall continue to hold their offices, with the powers and duties and subject to the limitations prescribed therein for like officers, until the first Tuesday in January, A. D. 1902, and until their successors are elected and qualified. Vacancies in their number from any cause shall be filled in the manner which is prescribed by law at the time of their occurrence. All officers who by the provisions of this amendment are continued in office beyond the stated time for which they were elected or appointed shall receive a pro rata compensation for their increased term of service, based upon the compensation provided for in this amendment or by law.

Sec. 10. The first election of officers named in the next preceding section under this amendment shall be held upon the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, A. D. 1901. The town, ward, and district meetings therefor shall be warned and conducted, and the result thereof determined, authenticated, and declared, in the manner at that time prescribed by law, and the persons then elected shall hold their offices from the said first Tuesday in January, A. D. 1902, and thereafter until their successors are elected and qualified.

Sec. 11. The general assembly shall provide by law for the registration necessary to qualify persons to vote at said first election, which registration shall close on the last day of June, A. D. 1901, and after the adoption of this amendment no person of whom registration is or may be required by law shall be permitted to vote unless his name shall have been registered in the town or city where he resides on or before the last day of June next preceding the time of his voting. For all elections by the people held before said Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, A. D. 1901, the qualifications of the electors shall be such as were required by the constitution and laws existing at the time of the adoption of this amendment.

Sec. 12. This amendment shall take in the constitution of the state the place of sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of article VIII, “Of elections;” and of section 11 of article IV, “Of the legislative