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Rhode Island: Voter Guide
Voting Information // Rhode Island
Registration:
4/7

Automatic voter registration

Online voter registration

Pre-registration before turning 18

Number of days prior to election a voter must be registered is 15 days or less

Online voter registration closes 15 days or less before Election Day

Registration drives

Same day registration offered in all elections

Same day registration located at polling place

Same day registration offered only during early voting

Accessibility:
5/8

All mail voting

In-person early voting

Amount of early voting days is higher than 7

Election day is a state holiday

No-excuse mail voting

12+ hours of open polls

Paid time off work to vote

Time off work to vote

Requirements:
2/6

Felons can vote after incarceration with completion of sentence

Felons can vote immediately after incarceration

Felons can vote while incarcerated

No ID required to vote

Mental competency not required to register

Non-photo ID required to vote

Photo-ID required to vote

Upcoming Elections

There are no upcoming elections. Sign up for email or text notifications prior to important election dates.

Voting Qualifications

Not currently incarcerated in a correctional facility due to a felony conviction
Not lawfully judged to be mentally incompetent
Resident of Rhode Island for at least 30 days before Election Day
United States Citizen
18+ Years of Age

Deadlines

In Person - 
30 days before Election Day
Mail - 
30 days before Election Day
Online - 
30 days before Election Day
Mail - 
Application to request absentee ballot due 21 days or more before Election Day
Mail - 
Voted ballot due by 8 p.m. on Election Day
In Person - 
Between 1 and 20 days before Election Day

More Information

If you are affiliated with a specific political party, you may only vote in that party’s primary. Unaffiliated voters can vote in any party primary but, by casting a vote in a party primary, you automatically become affiliated with that party. To unaffiliated with a party you must sign a "Change of Party Designation" form at the polling place after you vote or by submitting a new voter registration form at any time.

Any registered Rhode Island voter may apply for an absentee ballot and vote by mail.


Voters who are blind, visually impaired, or disabled have the option to apply for a Braille, Tactile or Accessible Ballot. The application to request any of these ballots is due at least 45 days before Election Day.

If you are voting in person in Rhode Island, you must present one of the following forms of ID at the time you vote:

  • Rhode Island driver’s license
  • US passport
  • Photo ID issued by a school or college in the US
  • US military ID
  • Photo ID issued by the US government or State of Rhode Island
  • Government issued medical photo ID
  • Rhode Island voter ID card
  • Birth certificate
  • Social security card


Voters who do not bring ID to the polls can vote using a standard provisional ballot, which will be counted if the signature given at the polling place matches the signature on the voter registration.