Voter Registration - ID Requirement - Acceptable Forms of ID - Absentee Voting - Provisional Voting - Sample Ballots - Type of Primary
State Contact Information
Secretary of State
Elections & Civics Division
148 W. River Street
Providence, RI 02904
Phone: (401) 222-2340
Fax: (401) 222-1444
Web: www.sec.state.ri.us/elections
Email: elections@sec.state.ri.us
Voter Registration
(www.sec.state.ri.us/elections/publications/how-to-register-and-vote-final.pdf)
Who may register to vote in Rhode Island?
You may register to vote if you are:
• a citizen of the United States,
• a resident of the Rhode Island city or town where you wish to vote, and
• at least eighteen years old on or before the next election.
*If you are a convicted felon and not in prison and you are a US citizen at least 18 years of age on election day, you may restore your right to vote by notifying your local board of canvassers in writing that you have completed your prison sentence or by submitting a new voter registration form.
Who may not register or vote?
You may not register to vote if you are:
• legally declared mentally incapable by a court, or
• a convicted felon still in prison. Once out of prison, the right to vote is restored by either notifying your local board of canvassers in writing or by submitting a new registration form.
Who can cast a vote in a Rhode Island election?
Any registered voter may vote, so long as she or he has registered to vote at least 30 days prior to the primary or election in which they wish to vote.
Is it possible to register and vote on Election Day?
Yes, but you will not be able to vote in most elections. You may register to vote and vote on Election Day, but only at the site designated by your local board of canvassers. You will be allowed to vote only for the offices of President and Vice President, not in state or local races.
Will I ever need to register again?
Registration is permanent and generally does not need to be renewed as long as you live at the same address. You will need to register again if:
• You change your name,
• You change your address within your city or town,
• You move to another city or town, or
• You have been removed from the voting list for any reason.
How do I register or update my registration?
To register to vote, you must complete a voter registration form. That form must be received by an authorized public official of your city or town or the State of Rhode Island.
You may use either the Rhode Island Voter Registration Form or you may use the National Voter Registration Form.
You may register in person or by mail. You may also register with the help of another person who delivers the forms to an authorized official for you.
Where do I register to vote or file a change of address?
You may obtain your registration form and register to vote in person at many different places, including offices you might visit to conduct other business. You may register at:
• The local board of canvassers in your city or town. These offices are usually open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some registrars offer registrations at other times and places in the community. See page 24 for your local board of canvassers address and telephone number.
• Any office of the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. You may register to vote when you apply for a driver's license, license renewal or DMV personal identification document.
• Agencies providing public assistance, such as the Department of Human Services.
• State-funded programs assisting people with disabilities.
• Armed forces recruiting offices.
Contact the Board of Elections at 401-222-2345 for a complete list of agencies where you may register or change your address.
What information will I need to provide to complete my registration?
When you register to vote you must give your
• name,
• complete address,
• date of birth, and
• choice of political party affiliation, if any.
You must also state on the registration form that you:
• are a U.S. citizen, and
• will be age 18 by Election Day.
If you are a first time mail registrant in RI or a first time registrant through a third party, you must provide your valid RI driver's license number or valid RI ID number issued by the RI Division of Motor Vehicles. If you do not have a valid RI driver's license or RI ID number, you must provide the last four digits of your social security number. If you do not have a driver's license, RI ID or social security number, or if these numbers cannot be verified, or if you fail to complete this item on the registration form, you will be required to present one of the forms of identification listed below at the time of registration, prior to voting or at the time of voting.
When you sign the registration, you are taking an oath that you meet these voter qualification requirements. Witnesses are not needed unless you need assistance in filling out the registration form.
Can I register by mail?
Yes. You may mail a completed Rhode Island Voter Registration form or a National Voter Registration form to your local board of canvassers at the address shown on page 24 of this booklet. Federal and state forms are equally acceptable in Rhode Island. Get state registration forms at:
• All local boards of canvassers throughout Rhode Island (see address list on page 24).
• The Board of Elections, 50 Branch Ave, Providence.
• The Offices of the Secretary of State located at State House in Room 38, or at 148 W. River St., or at 337 Westminster Street, Providence.
• Online at: www.sec.state.ri.us/elections. Follow the link "Forms and Applications."
• You can also find the National Voter Registration Form online at: www.sec.state.ri.us/elections. Follow the link "Forms and Applications."
ID Requirement
When is an identification document required?
An identification document will only be needed if you are a first time mail registrant in RI or a first time registrant through a third party and you have not submitted the required identification by the time of the election. You will be notified in advance by mail that you should bring identification to the polls.
How do I identify myself at the polling place?
In most cases you don't need to provide proof of identity at the polling place. When you enter your polling place, state your name and address to one of the bi-partisan supervisors seated at the check-in table.
If your name is found on the voting list and your street address matches the voter list, the supervisor will give you a short ballot application. Sign the application.
If you live at a different address from the one shown for you on the voting list, or if you have been listed as "inactive" because mail sent to your listed address has been returned by the Post Office, you will need to fill out and sign an additional affirmation form before voting.
Acceptable Forms of ID
A copy of a current and valid photo identification provided by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual presenting it. Examples of photo identification include, but are not limited to:
• Driver's license or identification card of any state;
• U.S. Passport;
• Employee identification card;
• Identification card provided by a commercial establishment;
• Credit or debit card;
• Military identification card;
• Student identification card;
• Health club identification card;
• Insurance plan identification card;
• Public housing identification card;
or a copy of any of the following documents, provided that the document includes the name and current address of the individual presenting it, and is dated since the date of the last general election, unless the document is intended to be of a permanent nature such as a pardon or discharge:
• Utility bill;
• Bank statement;
• Government check;
• Government paycheck;
• Document issued by a government agency;
• Sample ballot or other official elections document issued by a governmental agency, dated for the election in which the individual is providing it as proof of residency or identity;
• Voter notification card issued by a governmental agency;
• Public housing identification card issued by a governmental agency;
• Lease or rental statement or agreement issued by a governmental agency;
• Student identification card issued by a governmental agency;
• Tuition statement or bill issued by a governmental agency;
• Insurance plan card or drug discount card issued by a governmental agency;
• Discharge certificates, pardons, or other official documents issued to the individual by a governmental agency in connection with the resolution of a criminal case, indictment, sentence; or other matter;
• Public transportation authority senior citizen and disabled discount cards issued by a governmental agency;
• Identification documents issued by governmental disability agencies;
• Identification documents issued by government homeless shelters and other government temporary or transitional facilities;
• Drug prescription issued by a government doctor or other governmental health care provider;
• Property tax statement issued by a governmental agency;
• Vehicle registration issued by a governmental agency;
• Vehicle certificate of ownership issued by a governmental agency.
Absentee Voting/Vote By Mail (restricted)
Am I eligible to vote by mail ballot?
To cast a mail ballot, you must be unable to vote in person for one of these reasons:
1. You are absent from the state.
2. You are a student at a college or university within Rhode Island.
3. You are physically unable to vote at a polling place because of illness or physical or mental disability.
4. Your religion prohibits it.
5. You are confined to a nursing home or hospital.
6. You are incarcerated (but not convicted of a felony).
7. You are away on military service.
8. You are a state or local election official.
How do I apply for a mail ballot?
• Obtain an application from your local board of canvassers, Board of Elections, Office of the Secretary of State, or online at www.sec.state.ri.us.
• Unless you are on military service, you will need to have your application notarized.
Mail ballot application deadlines: Your application must be received at least 21 days before the Election Day.
If you are permanently disabled, you may arrange to have mail ballot applications (not the actual ballots) mailed to you automatically.
Deadline to return completed mail ballot: 9 p.m. on Election Day
Provisional Voting (in precinct)
Provisional Voting is a process to insure that all registered voters are allowed to participate in the election process. These qualified voters will be allowed to cast the same ballot as all others however, the disposition (full ballot, federal offices only, or disqualified) of that ballot will be determined by the voter's local board of canvassers. The voter may then determine the disposition of their ballot by clicking on the link below or by calling the Board of Elections at 222-2345.
Provisional ballots must be cast in the correct precinct in order to be counted.
To view the disposition of your provisional ballot click here.
Who is allowed to vote a provisional ballot?
• An individual whose name does not appear on the list of registered voters for the voting district or the community but claims they have registered to vote
• An individual whose name does not appear on the list of registered voters for the voting district but does appear on the community list and the voter contends they are voting in the correct voting district
• An individual who does not have an approved form of identification, as required
• An individual has been challenged by an election official
How will I know if my provisional ballot was counted?
Your provisional ballot will be assigned a serial number, which will be provided to you before you leave the polling place. After 48 hours following the election, in most cases you will be able to check whether the ballot was counted or not by visiting the Board of Elections website at www.elections.ri.gov or contacting your local board of canvassers.
Sample Ballots
To view sample ballots for upcoming election visit: www.sec.state.ri.us/vic/
Type of Primary (closed)
What must I do in order to vote in a primary?
To vote in a primary, you must be a registered voter.
If your voter registration record indicates that you are unaffiliated you may choose in which primary you wish to vote. As soon as you vote in a primary, you are automatically affiliated with that party. If you wish to preserve your ability to vote in any other primary in the future, request a "disaffiliation" form from poll officials and fill it out on the spot to return to your unaffiliated status in 90 days.
If you are affiliated with any political party, you may not vote in another party's primary.
How do I establish and change my party affiliation?
You have the option of "affiliating" with any recognized political party or not affiliating with any party (registering "unaffiliated") at the time you register to vote.
You may change your recorded affiliation to a different party or to unaffiliated at any time by visiting your board of canvassers.
However, if you want to change your party affiliation so that you can vote in another party's primary, the change must be filed at least 90 days before the primary. The deadline for disaffiliation for the 2008 primary on September 9 was June 11.
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