Rhode Island General Laws Title 22. General Assembly § 22-3-1. Making of lists of persons elected

The secretary of state shall receive and examine the certificates of election of senators and representatives to the general assembly returned to the secretary's office by the board of elections, and shall make separate lists of the persons named in it as elected to the offices of senators and representatives, respectively. In case at nine o'clock in the morning (9:00 a.m.) on the first Tuesday of January in each odd-numbered year, there shall be no certificates received by the secretary of state of the election of senator, senators, representative, or representatives, or either of them, from any senatorial or representative district, the secretary of state shall also place on the lists, respectively, the name of the person then holding the office for which there is no certificate returned or received of the election of any other person to that office.