Smithfield, Town of

Smithfield, Town of ATTENTION SMITHFIELD VOTERS
Voter information regarding the
November 3, 2026 GENERAL ELECTION
SAMPLE VOTING BALLOT FOR REGISTERED VOTERS IN SMITHFIELD, RI
LOCAL QUESTIONS - CHARTER REVISIONS
INCLUDED ON THE NOVEMBER 3, 2026 BALLOT
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Local Questions
Local Questions
Local Questions
Questions 6-21
Amendments to the Smithfield
Home Rule Charter
(Resolution of the Town Council
adopted July 21, 2026)
9. ORDINANCES
Shall adopted Ordinances
become effective upon adoption
rather than after a thirty (30) day
period, unless otherwise stated?
(Amends section C-2.13(c))
M' Approve
M' Reject
DEVELOPMENT
Local Questions
13. HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT
18. PLANNING & ECONOMIC
Shall the Director of Human
Services section C-4.09 be
renamed the Human Services
6. TOWN COUNCIL
Department with organization,
functions, and required
Shall Town Council terms be
increased to a duration of four
years on a staggered basis
commencing after the November
2028 general election? (Repeals
and replaces section C-2.02)
qualifications added? (Amends
section C-4.09)
M' Approve
10. POLICE DEPARTMENT
M' Reject
M' Approve
M' Reject
Shall the qualifications of the
Police Chief include a bachelor s
degree in criminal justice or a
related field? (Amends section
C-4.04(c))
14. BUILDING OFFICIAL
7. NOTICES OF PUBLIC HEARING
M' Approve
Shall sections C-2.08(6) and
C-2.13(d) be amended to include
notice posting on the Town
website? (Amends sections C-
2.08(6) and C-2.13(d))
M' Reject
11. PUBLIC WORKS AND
RECREATION
M' Approve
Shall the functions of the Public
Works Department be modified
M' Reject
to add parks and the oversight
of the daily operations of the
8. ORDINANCES
Shall the requirement of the
enactment of an Ordinance for
conveyances or leases of Town
real estate be repealed? (
Removes section C-2.12(5))
M' Approve
M' Reject
SAMPLE
Shall a Planning and Economic
Development Department be
added to the Town Charter
to outline the organization,
functions, and required
qualifications of the Planning
Director? (Creates a new section
C-4.26)
M' Approve
M' Reject
19. CAPITAL ITEMS
Shall the functions of the Building
Official be modified to remove
the issuance of plumbing and
drainage permits? (Amends
section C-4.10)
Shall the dollar amount for
capital items be raised from
amounts greater than $10,000 to
amounts greater than $30,000?
(Amends section C-5.14(c)(7))
M' Approve
M' Reject
M' Approve
M' Reject
15. BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
Smithfield Water Department and
Shall there be a requirement to
publish notices of vacancies in
Town Boards and Commissions?
(Amends section C-4.19)
20. KEY PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS AND INDEPENDENT
ASSESSMENT
shall the Parks and Recreation
Department be restated as the
M' Approve
Recreation Department? (Amends
sections C-4.05 and C-4.17)
M' Reject
M' Approve
M' Reject
Shall the Town replace the current
five (5) year audit with a system
where each department tracks
at least five clear performance
measures and reports results
every year, with trends over time?
This system would also require
an independent review of
selected departments each year
to check accuracy and
recommended improvements.
The independent firm shall be
selected by the Budget and
Financial Review Board.
(Repeals and replaces C-5.20)
M' Approve
M' Reject
Per the Order of the
Smithfield Board
of Canvassers
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12. TOWN SOLICITOR
Shall the Town Solicitor s role be
revised to ensure consistency
with State law and explicitly
define required qualifications?
(Amends section C-4.06)
M' Approve
M' Reject
16. TOWN ENGINEER
Shall the Town Engineering
Department be added to the
Town Charter to outline the
organization, functions, and
required qualifications of the
Town Engineer? (Creates a new
section C-4.24)
M' Approve
M' Reject
17. MUNICIPAL LIBRARY SYSTEM
May the Town Council establish
a free Municipal Library System
with locations in Esmond and
Greenville overseen by a board
of trustees appointed by the Town
Council? (Creates a new section
C-4.25)
M' Approve
M' Reject
21. TOWN COUNCIL AND SCHOOL
COMMITTEE WORK SESSIONS
Shall the Town Council and
School Committee be required to
hold four joint workshop
meetings per year? (Creates a
new section C-12.08)
M' Approve
M' Reject