R.I. governor vetoes 22 bills

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Rhode Island legislators learned Tuesday the governor had vetoed 22 of the bills they passed during a hectic two-day special session in October.

Gov. Donald Carcieri said he may not be finished, The Providence Journal reported. The bills were passed at the end of October but only sent to the governor late last week.

One of the bills Carcieri, a Republican, shot down would have required the state to hold a special election for U.S. senator when the office becomes vacant more than 60 days before an election. The measure was dubbed the ''Blagojevich bill" because it was inspired by allegations Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried to sell appointment to the Senate seat that became vacant when Barack Obama was elected president.

Carcieri said the current system in Rhode Island works well. It allows the governor to appoint a senator to serve until the next general election.

Special elections would be expensive and cause "confusion, poor voter turnout, insufficient time to provide a fair and equal opportunity for all candidates to be considered and other problems associated with trying to hold two elections within a short period of time,'' he said.