North Smithfield · November 2026 Election
What's actually on your ballot.
Voters will decide ten Charter Amendments this fall. Here's the plain-English version of each one, alongside the exact wording that will appear at the polls.
A five-member Charter Review Committee spent eight months combing through North Smithfield's governing document — meeting with town boards, hearing from residents, and working alongside the town solicitor. Their final report recommended ten amendments: three real changes to how the town operates, and seven technical fixes to bring the charter in line with state law that already applies.
The Town Council took each one up individually through June, working against an August 5 state deadline to certify final ballot language with the Board of Canvassers.
The three real changes.
Questions 1–3These would actually change how the town is run.
Council terms & term limits
Art. II §2 · Art. IV §1What it does: Moves the council to five members serving staggered four-year terms starting in December 2028, and caps service at two consecutive four-year terms — with a required four-year break before running again.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall the North Smithfield Home Rule Charter be amended to modify Article II, Section 2 and Article IV, Section 1 to provide that, commencing December 1, 2028:
- The Town Council shall consist of five (5) members elected at large at regular biennial elections in even-numbered years, each serving four-year terms and until their successors are elected and qualified;
- At the 2028 election only, the three (3) candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall serve four-year terms, and the two (2) candidates receiving the next highest number of votes shall serve two-year terms, thereby establishing staggered four-year terms thereafter;
- No elected Town official shall serve more than two consecutive four-year terms in the same office, excluding any partial term of less than four years, with eligibility to run again for the same office after a four-year break.
Personnel Board duties
Art. XIII §1What it does: Loosens the Personnel Board's blanket ban on holding any public office. Members could no longer hold or run for North Smithfield elective office (resigning if they become a candidate), but could hold or seek office elsewhere in Rhode Island or federally. Also updates the Board's listed duties to match what it actually does today.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall the Home Rule Charter of the Town of North Smithfield be amended by revising Article XIII, Section 1 (Personnel Board) to remove the existing prohibition that members "shall [not] hold or be a candidate for any other public office or position" and related political activity restrictions, and to instead provide that Personnel Board members shall not hold or be candidates for elective office within the Town of North Smithfield, with resignation required upon candidacy, while permitting such members to hold or seek elective office in other municipalities or at the state or federal level as allowed by Rhode Island law — and also be amended to reflect the accuracy of the current duties of the Personnel Board, which have been modified since the last update?
New Department of Facilities & Capital Assets
Art. XVWhat it does: Creates a new department, headed by a Director of Facilities appointed by the Town Administrator, to manage municipal buildings, capital planning, construction oversight, utilities/energy programs, and its own operating budget.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall the North Smithfield Home Rule Charter be amended to replace Section 12 of Article XV with a new section establishing a Department of Facilities and Capital Assets, headed by a Director of Facilities appointed by the Town Administrator, responsible for managing, maintaining, repairing, and planning all municipal buildings, grounds, and infrastructure; developing a Capital Improvement Plan; overseeing construction and renovation projects; managing utilities and energy programs; ensuring compliance with environmental standards; and preparing and administering the department's operating budget — and to renumber the current Section 12 as Section 13?
Seven housekeeping fixes
Questions 4–10Mostly aligning the charter with laws that already apply — cross-reference updates and a typo fix.
Board of Canvassers appointment
Art. II §11What it does: Switches Board of Canvassers members from council-elected to council-appointed, matching the bipartisan-canvassing-authority requirement in state election law.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall Article II, Section 11 of the Home Rule Charter of the Town of North Smithfield be amended to provide that members of the Board of Canvassers and Registration are appointed by the Town Council rather than elected by the Town Council, in accordance with Rhode Island General Laws § 17-8-1 requiring a bipartisan canvassing authority appointed by the municipal legislative body?
"Hiring" → "Borrowing" fix
Art. III §8(c)What it does: Corrects a wording error — swaps "hiring" for "borrowing" in the council's authority over tax anticipation notes and short-term municipal financing.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall Article III, Section 8(c) of the Home Rule Charter of the Town of North Smithfield be amended by replacing the word "hiring" with the word "borrowing" in reference to the Town Council's authority to authorize tax anticipation notes and related municipal financing?
Electronic ordinance notices
Art. IV §9What it does: Lets the town publish ordinance and regulation notices electronically on the Secretary of State's website instead of only in a newspaper.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall Article IV, Section 9 of the Home Rule Charter of the Town of North Smithfield be amended to allow public notice of proposed ordinances and regulations to be published electronically on the Secretary of State's website in lieu of newspaper publication, in accordance with Rhode Island General Laws § 45-6-1(c)?
Municipal audit requirements
Art. IV §10What it does: Updates audit rules to match state law — independent CPA-conducted annual audits, with auditor selection subject to the state Auditor General's approval.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall Article IV, Section 10 of the Home Rule Charter of the Town of North Smithfield be amended to update municipal audit requirements to conform with Rhode Island General Laws § 45-10-4, including requiring annual audits by independent certified public accountants and providing that selection of auditors is subject to approval by the Rhode Island Auditor General?
Planning Board powers & Comprehensive Plan notice
Art. XII §2What it does: Expands the Planning Board's stated powers to match state law, and updates public notice requirements for adopting or amending the town's Comprehensive Plan.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall Article XII, Section 2 of the Home Rule Charter of the Town of North Smithfield be amended to provide that the Planning Board's powers and duties include those set forth in Rhode Island General Laws § 45-22-7, and to update public notice requirements for Comprehensive Plan adoption or amendment in accordance with Rhode Island General Laws § 45-22.2-8, including expanded newspaper, municipal posting, and website notice requirements?
School Committee powers reference
Art. XIV §5What it does: Clarifies that the School Committee's powers include those already granted under state law.
Legal nuance worth knowing: the CRC's own report flags that, under RI Supreme Court precedent, charter language touching school committees may need General Assembly ratification to be fully effective, since school committees are treated as state agents.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall Article XIV, Section 5 of the Home Rule Charter of the Town of North Smithfield be amended to clarify that the powers and duties of the School Committee are in addition to those set forth in Rhode Island General Laws § 16-2-9?
Ethics provisions update
Art. XVI §8What it does: Replaces any local ethics rules with a straight requirement that town officials and employees follow the statewide RI Code of Ethics.
Read the exact ballot language
Shall Article XVI, Section 8 of the Home Rule Charter of the Town of North Smithfield be amended to replace existing local ethics provisions with a requirement that all Town officials and employees comply with the Rhode Island Code of Ethics, Rhode Island General Laws § 36-14-1 et seq.?