EAST PROVIDENCE — Whether or not it has a direct affect on actions being taken at the state level, the newly reconstituted Canvassing Authority nonetheless backed the codification of term changes for elected officials in East Providence and, of most pertinence, voted to conduct an election for all municipal officers this November.
Only appointed by the City Council during a contested vote at that body’s meeting on May 1, new Canvassing members Peter Barilla Sr. and Nicholas Oliver joined hold-over Elizabeth Pegg on the authority for its first meeting on Thursday evening, May 3, at City Hall.
Then, the authority voted to hold an election this fall for all municipal seats, including the City Council. Both the office of the State’s Attorney General and Board of Elections were still as of that evening were considering the question of the necessity for an election in November since the council voted to codify the City Charter with the 2012 voter-approved change in term lengths from two to four years. It has been left open ended whether the current council, at least, would continue to serve through 2020 because of the charter codification.
Canvassing said no Thursday night to the council remaining seated.
The authority also affirmed when the electorate votes for the City Council in the fall, it will be for a four-year term, running through 2022.
While the authority accepted the General Assembly did not have to ratify the results of the 2012 election for council terms, specifically, because of East Providence’s “home rule” standing, canvassing voted Thursday it would have to sanction a change in term for the School Committee based on state law. Because the assembly has of yet done so, the authority authorized the committee term on the ballot to remain at two years.
And following up on amendments made to the charter by the review commission seated last year and affirmed by the electorate at the polls during the special election in November of 2017, the authority formally approved the term length for the elected mayor to be four years beginning with the vote this fall.
One other bit of business, Mr. Barilla was chosen by his counterparts to serve as the Canvassing Authority chairman.