Declarations now being taken for Dennigan's seat
PAWTUCKET - Representatives from the Rhode Island Secretary of State's Office have announced that they will begin accepting declarations of candidacy to run in a special election for the recently vacated House District 62 seat starting tomorrow, Oct. 15, and ending Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. A special election for Dennigan's vacated seat will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 29. The District 62 seat, covering parts of Pawtucket and East Providence, is open because former Rep. Elizabeth "Betsy" Dennigan, a Democrat, stepped down on Oct. 1 to take on incumbent Rep. James Langevin for his 2nd Congressional District U.S. House seat. She has spent the past 13 years as a state lawmaker. Pawtucket makes up most of District 62, or about 85 percent, according to a representative for Dennigan, while East Providence makes up about 15 percent of the district. The deadline for political party endorsements is Oct. 19, according to Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis. In order to qualify for the ballot, candidates must submit their nomination papers, including the signatures of at least 50 House District 62 voters, by Oct. 27. It won't be known whether a primary will be necessary until the East Providence and Pawtucket boards of canvassers and Mollis' office have determined whether the candidates submitted enough certified signatures to qualify for the ballot. The certification of signatures generally takes several days. The following are notable special election calendar events: * The last day to register to vote in the primary is Oct. 24. * The deadline for primary mail ballots is Nov. 3. * Emergency ballots will be available from Nov. 4 to Nov. 23. * The primary will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 24, if needed. * The last day to register for the election is Saturday, Nov. 28. * The deadline for election mail ballots is Tuesday, Dec. 8. * Emergency ballots will be available from Dec. 9 to Dec. 28, excluding the Christmas holiday. * Finally, the special election will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 29. The Pawtucket Board of Canvassers is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 722-1637 with any questions. - For more information about registering to vote, visit www.sec.state.ri.us/elections .