Rhode Island General Laws Title 17. Elections § 17-15-35. Hearing on recount or protest--Notice--Declaration of nomination or election

(a) Immediately upon the filing of a protest or request, the state board shall cause notice in writing to be served in any manner that it directs, at the expense of the petitioner, upon all other candidates of the same political party for the same office receiving votes at the primary, and shall give notice in some public newspaper of general circulation in the voting district or districts where the primary took place of the making of the request or protest and the time and place of the hearing, which time shall be not less than one nor more than three (3) weekdays after the publication of the notice. At the hearing all candidates who may be affected by a recount may be heard in person or by their representative. The hearing and the examination of the voting equipment or the recounting of the ballots, as the case may be, as may be necessary, shall be conducted in a summary and expeditious manner, but the result of the voting as determined by the state board shall not be altered or changed by the board except upon satisfactory proof of its incorrectness. Following the hearing, the state board shall declare what person, if any, was lawfully nominated or elected, and shall issue or direct the local board to issue a certificate of the nomination or election to that person.

(b) Recounts shall be conducted in the manner set forth in chapter 19 of this title.