R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-26-3 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-26 / Section 17-26-3
§ 17-26-3. Petty misdemeanors.
Status: in_force

Every person who is convicted of any offense under this title which has been classified by the general assembly as a petty misdemeanor shall be imprisoned for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-18 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-18
§ 17-15-18. Apportionment of voting booths and optical scan precinct count units.
Status: in_force

(a) The apportionment of voting booths for the primary election of each political party shall, as far as possible, be on the same basis as for general elections, except that the determination shall be made with reference to the average number of votes received by the candidates of each party at the preceding general election.

(b) Unless otherwise prescribed by the board of elections, one optical scan precinct count unit shall be programmed and provided for each voting district. In no event shall there be less than one optical scan precinct count unit for each voting district.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-10.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-10.1
§ 17-25-10.1. Political contributions  Limitations.
Status: in_force

(a)(1) No person, other than the candidate to his or her own campaign, nor any political action committee shall make a contribution or contributions to any candidate, as defined by § 17-25-3, or political action committee or political party committee that, in the aggregate, exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) within a calendar year; nor shall any political action committee make such contributions that in the aggregate, exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) within a calendar year; nor shall any candidate or any political action committee or any political party committee accept a contribution or contributions that, in the aggregate, exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) within a calendar year from any one person or political action committee.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a)(1) of this section, a person or political action committee or political party committee may contribute an amount that in the aggregate, does not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) within a calendar year to a political party committee, which funds can be utilized for organizational and party building activities, but shall not be used for contributions to candidates state and local for public office.

(b) Contributions to a named candidate made to any political committee authorized by that candidate to accept contributions on the candidates behalf shall be considered to be contributions made to the candidate. Contributions to a candidate by a political committee for another person shall be considered to be contributions by that person.

(c) Expenditures made by any person in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate, the candidates authorized political committees, or their agents shall be considered to be a contribution to the candidate.

(d) The financing by any person of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or in part, of any broadcast or any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidates campaign committees, or their authorized agents shall be considered to be a contribution to a candidate.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict political party committees organized pursuant to this title from making contributions to the candidates of that political party; provided, that these contributions, other than allowable in-kind contributions, shall not exceed, in the aggregate, twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) to any one candidate within a calendar year; nor shall any candidate accept a contribution or contributions, other than allowable in-kind contributions, that, in the aggregate, exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) within a calendar year from all committees of his or her political party. There shall be no restriction on the amount of in-kind contributions that a political party committee may make to a candidate of its political party; provided, that for the purposes of this subsection only, the cost of any preparation and airing of television and/or radio advertisements and the cost of any print advertisements shall not be considered an allowable in-kind contribution and shall be subject to the aggregate limitation of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

(f)(1) A contribution from an individuals dependent children, as defined in § 36-14-2, shall be deemed a contribution from the individual for the purpose of determining whether aggregate contributions exceed either the two hundred dollar ($200) threshold for reporting purposes or the two thousand dollar ($2,000) maximum for contributions to a single candidate or political action committee within a calendar year.

(2) No dependent child shall contribute an amount that, when added to contributions already made by that childs parent or legal guardian and by other dependent children of that parent or legal guardian, exceed the two thousand dollar ($2,000) maximum for contributions to a single candidate or political action committee within a calendar year.

(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict the amount of money that a candidate can borrow in his or her own name, and subsequently contribute or loan to his or her own campaign.

(h)(1) It shall be unlawful for any corporation, whether profit or non-profit, domestic corporation or foreign corporation, as defined in § 7-1.2-106, or other business entity to make any campaign contribution or expenditure, as defined in § 17-25-3, to or for any candidate, political action committee, or political party committee, or for any candidate, political action committee, or political party committee to accept any campaign contribution or expenditure from a corporation or other business entity. Any contribution made in the personal name of any employee of a corporation or other business entity, for which the employee received or will receive reimbursement from the corporation or other business entity, shall be considered as a contribution by the corporation or other business entity, in violation of this section.

(2) Any voluntary payroll deduction and/or contribution made by employees of a corporation or other business entity shall not be deemed a contribution of a corporation or other business entity, notwithstanding that the contributions were sent to the recipient by the corporation or other business entity.

(i) All contributions of funds shall be by check, money order, or credit card and may be made over the internet, but in each case the source of the funds must be identified; provided, that candidates, political action committees, and political party committees may accept contributions in cash that do not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) in the aggregate from an individual within a calendar year. The cash contribution must be delivered directly by the donor to the candidate, the campaign treasurer, or deputy treasurer. The treasurer or deputy treasurer shall maintain a record of the name and address of all persons making these cash contributions.

(j) Except as provided in subsection (h) of this section, no entity other than an individual, a political action committee which is duly registered and qualified pursuant to the terms of this chapter, political party committee authorized by this title, or an authorized committee of an elected official or candidate established pursuant to this chapter shall make any contribution to or any expenditure on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate, political action committee, or political party.

(k) For purposes of the limitations imposed by this section, all contributions made by a person, either directly or indirectly, on behalf of a particular candidate, including contributions that are in any way earmarked or otherwise directed through an intermediary or conduit to such candidate, shall be treated as contributions from such person to such candidate. The intermediary or conduit shall report the original source and the intended recipient of such contribution to the board of elections and to the intended recipient, in accordance with regulations and reporting requirements promulgated by the board of elections.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-18-14 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-18 / Section 17-18-14
§ 17-18-14. Application to elections conducted on optical scan precinct count voting system.
Status: in_force

The provisions of this chapter shall govern elective meetings held in accordance with the provisions of chapter 19 of this title, provided they are applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of chapter 19.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-2.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-2.1
§ 17-20-2.1. Requirements for validity of mail ballot and mail ballot applications.
Status: in_force

(a) Any legally qualified elector of this state whose name appears upon the official voting list of the city, town, or district of the city or town where the elector is qualified, and who desires to avail himself or herself of the right granted to him or her by the Constitution and declared in this chapter, may obtain from the local board in the city or town a form prepared by the secretary of state as prescribed in this section, setting forth the electors application for a mail ballot or may apply online in accordance with § 17-20-2.3.

(b) Whenever any person is unable to sign their name because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write, the voter or their assistant shall mark a box to indicate the voter cannot sign due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write and include the full name, residence address, signature, and optionally the telephone number and e-mail address, of the person who provided assistance to the voter on a form provided by the secretary of state. The representation relating to the voters inability to sign shall be made under the pains and penalties of perjury.

(c) To receive a ballot in the mail, an elector must submit an application in person or by mail, so that it is received by the local board, or received electronically through the portal established by § 17-20-2.3, not later than four oclock (4:00) p.m. on the twenty-first (21st) day before the day of any election referred to in § 17-20-1. In those cases where an application to receive a mail ballot is postmarked by the twenty-first (21st) day before the date of an election and received not later than eighteen (18) days before the date of an election, the application shall be considered received on or prior to the last day to apply for a mail ballot.

(d) In addition to those requirements set forth elsewhere in this chapter, a mail ballot, in order to be valid, must have been cast in conformance with the following procedures:

(1) All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(1) shall be mailed to the elector at the Rhode Island address provided by the elector on the application. In order to be valid, the voter must affix their signature on all certifying envelopes containing a voted ballot.

(2) All applications for mail ballots pursuant to § 17-20-2(2) must state under oath the name and location of the hospital, convalescent home, nursing home, or similar institution where the elector is confined. All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(2) shall be delivered to the elector at the hospital, convalescent home, nursing home, or similar institution where the elector is confined.

(3) All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(3) shall be mailed to the address provided by the elector on the application or sent to the board of canvassers in the city or town where the elector maintains their voting residence. In order to be valid, the voter must affix their signature on the certifying envelope containing voted ballots. Any voter qualified to receive a mail ballot pursuant to § 17-20-2(3) shall also be entitled to cast a ballot pursuant to the provisions of United States Public Law 99-410, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).

(4) All mail ballots issued pursuant to § 17-20-2(4) may be mailed to the elector at the address within the United States provided by the elector on the application or sent to the board of canvassers in the city or town where the elector maintains their voting residence. In order to be valid, the voter must affix their signature on all certifying envelopes containing a voted ballot. In order to be valid, all ballots sent to the elector at the board of canvassers, must be voted in conformance with the provisions of § 17-20-14.2.

(e) Any person knowingly and willfully making a false application or certification, or knowingly and willfully aiding and abetting in the making of a false application or certification, shall be guilty of a felony and shall be subject to the penalties provided for in § 17-26-1.

(f) In no way shall a mail ballot application be disqualified if the voters circumstances change between the time of making the application and voting their mail ballot as long as the voter remains qualified to receive a mail ballot under the provisions of § 17-20-2. The local board of canvassers shall provide the state board of elections with written notification of any change in circumstances to a mail ballot voter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-18-4 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-18 / Section 17-18-4
§ 17-18-4. Return of warrant.
Status: in_force

The officer charged with the service of the warrant shall, previous to the meetings, make return to the respective district clerks of his or her actions upon the warrant.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-7.2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-7.2
§ 17-19-7.2. Names of candidates.
Status: in_force

In all elections, the names of candidates shall be printed on ballots as they appear on the voting list, notwithstanding that the candidate may have signed his or her declaration of candidacy other than as the candidates name appears on the voting list.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-30 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-30
§ 17-19-30. Voters who register by making a mark rather than signature.
Status: in_force

Any voter who has registered by making his or her mark rather than his or her signature, or who shall be physically unable to sign his or her name at the time of offering himself or herself to vote, shall identify himself or herself with proof of identity as required under § 17-19-24.2. They shall permit the voter to affix the voters mark on the electronic pollbook in their presence and shall record their approval on the electronic pollbook as in other cases.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-20 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-20
§ 17-25-20. Eligibility criteria for matching public funds.
Status: in_force

In order to receive matching public funds under § 17-25-19, a qualifying candidate must comply with the following requirements:

(1) The candidate must sign a statement under oath, as provided for in § 17-25-19, pledging to comply with the limitations on contributions and expenditures for election purposes and with all the terms and conditions set forth in this chapter. Upon the filing of the statement, a candidate for general office shall be bound to abide by the limitations on contributions and expenditures set forth in this chapter and may not withdraw from his or her obligation to abide by these restrictions.

(2)(i) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2)(ii) of this section, no participating candidate shall either receive or expend for election purposes more than a total of public and private funds in the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) in an election cycle. No participating candidate for general office other than governor shall receive or expend for election purposes more than a total of public and private funds in the sum of three hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($375,000) in an election cycle.

(ii) The limitations on contributions received from private sources, matching funds available from the state, and total permitted expenditures shall apply in the 1994 general election and, subject to appropriations by the general assembly, shall increase by a percentage to be determined by the board of elections in January of each year in which a general election involving general offices is held, beginning in 1998. In no case shall the increase exceed the total increase in the consumer price index since the month in which the previous general election involving general offices was held.

(3)(i) Only the first two thousand dollars ($2,000) of the aggregate private monetary contributions from a single private source within an election cycle shall be eligible for matching public funds for candidates for governor; provided, that the entire amount contributed shall be considered toward the dollar limits provided in subsection (2) of this section.

(ii) Only the first one thousand dollars ($1,000) of the aggregate private monetary contributions from a single private source within an election cycle shall be eligible for matching public funds for candidates for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and general treasurer; provided, that the entire amount contributed shall be considered toward the dollar limits provided for in subsection (2) of this section.

(iii) Any private funds lawfully contributed during the current election cycle shall be eligible for matching public funds subject to the terms and conditions of this section, and private funds donated during a preceding election cycle shall not be eligible for matching public funds.

(4) The direct costs incurred in connection with raising campaign funds on behalf of a candidate shall not be deemed to be expenditures for the purposes of the limitations on expenditures set forth in subsection (2) of this section. Direct costs shall include costs of printing and mailing invitations to fundraising events, solicitations for contributions, costs of hosting fundraising events, and travel to those events, but shall not include any portion of the salary or wages of campaign employees, nor the cost of any radio, television, computer/internet/electronic device, or printed advertisement. The cost of a fundraising event must be less than the amount of money realized from the gross proceeds generated by the fundraising event in order to qualify for this exclusion.

(5) If a candidate who has accepted public funds makes expenditures in excess of the permitted amounts, the candidate shall be liable for a civil assessment payable to the state in an amount equal to three (3) times the amount of excess funds expended. In addition, the candidate shall be ineligible for further participation in the public financing program during the same election cycle.

(6) In order to receive payments under this section, any candidate for general office shall first meet the following additional minimum requirements:

(i) Raise an amount in qualified private contributions equal to twenty percent (20%) of the total amount eligible to be matched for election as to the office sought;

(ii) Receive private contributions from a minimum of two hundred fifty (250) individuals contributing at least twenty-five dollars ($25.00) each for candidates for governor and receive private contributions from a minimum of one hundred (100) individuals contributing at least twenty-five dollars ($25.00) each, for candidates for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and general treasurer;

(iii) Comply with any and all applicable nomination provisions in this title and qualify for the general election ballot pursuant to the process set forth in this title; and

(iv) Have no outstanding fines owed to the board of elections.

(7) No public funds received by any candidate pursuant to §§ 17-25-19  17-25-27 and no private funds used to qualify for the public funds shall be expended by the candidate for any purpose except to pay reasonable and necessary expenses directly related to the candidates campaign.

(8) No public funds shall be expended by the candidate, except for one or more of the following uses directly related to the campaign of the candidate:

(i) Purchase of time on radio or television stations; provided, however, the content of all television time shall include captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing and the content of all radio time must be available in a written or text format at the time of request;

(ii) Purchase of rental space on outdoor signs or billboards;

(iii) Purchase of advertising space on the computer/internet/electronic device and in newspapers and regularly published magazines and periodicals;

(iv) Payment of the cost of producing the material aired or displayed on radio, television, outdoor signs or billboards, and computer/internet/electronic device and in newspapers, regularly published magazines, and periodicals;

(v) Payment of the cost of printing and mailing campaign literature and brochures;

(vi) Purchase of signs, bumper stickers, campaign buttons, and other campaign paraphernalia;

(vii) Payment of the cost of legal and accounting expenses incurred in complying with the public financing law and regulations as required by this chapter;

(viii) Payment of the cost of telephone deposits, installation charges, and monthly billings in excess of deposits;

(ix) Payment of the costs of public opinion polls and surveys; and

(x) Payment of rent, utilities and associated expenses connected with the operation of an election headquarters or satellite election offices.

(9) Contributions received and expended by any candidate for the purpose of defraying any expense or satisfying any loan obligations incurred prior to January 1, 1991, by the candidate in furtherance of the candidates candidacy in a previous election cycle, as defined in § 17-25-3(11), shall not be counted toward any contribution or expenditure limitation in §§ 17-25-18  17-25-27.

(10) No candidate who has elected to receive public funds shall contribute to or loan to the candidates own campaign a sum in excess of five percent (5%) of the total amount that a candidate is permitted to expend in a campaign for the office pursuant to §§ 17-25-19 and 17-25-21.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-20.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-20.1
§ 17-15-20.1. City of East Providence  2002 Primary Elections.
Status: in_force

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the procedure for the primary elections in the city of East Providence in the calendar year 2002 shall be conducted as follows:

(1) On September 10, 2002, there shall be a primary election in the city of East Providence to nominate such candidates for the East Providence city council and East Providence school committee.

(2) Candidates for nomination in this primary election shall file with the canvassing authority declarations of their candidacy upon forms provided by the canvassing authority. Said The declaration shall be filed on the 10th, 11th and not later than 4:00 p.m. on the 12th day of June, 2002.

(3) The canvassing authority shall prepare nomination papers for circulation and distribute those papers to the declared candidates on the 13th day of June, 2002 and not later than 4:00 p.m. on the 14th day of June, 2002.

(4) Nomination papers must be assembled and united into one instrument and filed with the canvassing authority by the candidates in the primary election not later than 4:00 p.m. on the 5th day of July, 2002.

(5) No nomination shall be valid unless the candidate shall file with the canvassing authority in writing no later than 4:00 p.m. on the 19th day of July, 2002 his or her consent accepting the nomination, agreeing not to withdraw, and if nominated, to qualify as a candidate in the general city election.

(6) The canvassing authority shall check the signatures on the nomination petitions filed with it and shall certify those candidates who have the required number of signatures as candidates in the primary election not later than 4:00 p.m. on the 12th day of July, 2002.

(b) All subsequent primary elections in the city of East Providence shall be held in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-25 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-25
§ 17-19-25. Certified voting list  Duty of bipartisan supervisor.
Status: in_force

Immediately upon the close of the polls, the bipartisan pair of supervisors shall securely bind, tie, or seal the certified voting list in the manner that shall be required by the state board, and the supervisors shall affix thereon their certificate under oath that the marks within the certified voting list next to each voters name comprise one for each person who was permitted to pass before the warden and to cast a vote at the election, and that to the best of his or her knowledge and belief no person voted at the election who did not sign the certified voter list, and that each of the persons was identified in the manner provided by law before being permitted to vote. The bipartisan pair of supervisors shall then give the certified voter list to the warden, who shall deliver the list to the local board together with the affidavits and materials used at the election.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-6-7 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-6 / Section 17-6-7
§ 17-6-7. Penalty for violating §§ 17-6-5 and 17-6-6.
Status: in_force

Every person who violates the provisions of §§ 17-6-5 and 17-6-6 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-14-1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-14 / Section 17-14-1
§ 17-14-1. Declarations of candidacy.
Status: in_force

During the last consecutive Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in June in the even years and during the thirty-ninth (39th) and fortieth (40th) days preceding a primary election for a special election for state or local office, or for an election for state or local office regularly scheduled for a time other than the biennial general statewide election, or during the sixty-seventh (67th) and sixty-eighth (68th) days preceding a primary election for a special election for federal office, or for an election for federal office regularly scheduled for a time other than the biennial general statewide election, each voter desiring to be a candidate at the upcoming primary or an independent candidate on final nomination papers shall, on a form that shall be provided by the secretary of state, file a declaration of their candidacy not later than four oclock (4:00) p.m. of the last day for the filing with the secretary of state for congressional and statewide general offices, or with the local board of the place of the candidates voting residence for general assembly, or state committee or senatorial and representative district committee, or with the appropriate local board for local officers. The declaration shall be signed by the candidate as the candidates name appears on the voting list. The signature shall be accepted as valid if it can be reasonably identified to be the name and signature of the voter it purports to be. A variation of the voters signature by the insertion or omission of identifying titles or by the substitution of initials for the first or middle names or both shall not in itself be grounds for invalidation of the signature. The declaration shall also include the following information:

(1) The candidates name as it appears on the voting list, subject to the same provisions as relate to the voters signature on the declaration;

(2) The address as it appears on the voting list, provided that an address that is substantially the same as the address on the voting list shall be valid;

(3) The party declaration if seeking to run in a party primary;

(4) The office sought;

(5) The place and date of birth;

(6) The length of residence in the state and in the town or city where the candidate resides;

(7) A certification that the candidate is neither serving a sentence, including probation or parole, for which the candidate was imprisoned upon final conviction of a felony imposed on any date nor serving any sentence, whether incarcerated or suspended, on probation or parole, upon final conviction of a felony committed after November 5, 1986;

(8) A certification that the candidate has not been lawfully adjudicated to be non compos mentis, of unsound mind;

(9) In the case of candidates for party nomination, a certification that the candidate has not been a member of a political party other than the declared party within ninety (90) days of the filing date, except in the case of candidates for party nomination for a special election for federal office, or for an election for federal office regularly scheduled for a time other than the biennial general statewide election, that person shall not have been a member of a political party other than the declared political party within thirty (30) days of the filing of their declaration of candidacy; and

(10) If a person is a candidate for a state or local office, a certification that the person has not within the preceding three (3) years served any sentence, incarcerated or suspended, on probation or parole, for a crime committed after November 5, 1986, upon a plea of nolo contendere or guilty or upon a conviction of a felony or for a misdemeanor for which a sentence of imprisonment for six (6) months or more, whether suspended or to be served was imposed.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-22.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-22.1
§ 17-19-22.1. Bilingual poll workers.
Status: in_force

Any board which determines that it requires ballots printed in a language other than English, pursuant to the provisions of § 17-19-54(a), shall provide at each polling place at least one individual who is fluent in the language for each language for which those ballots were sought. Such person or persons shall be available to assist voters in casting their ballots, upon request by the individual or at the direction of the warden, during all hours of poll operations. In addition, such person or persons shall otherwise comply with the provisions of § 17-19-26.1.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-23-8 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-23 / Section 17-23-8
§ 17-23-8. Failure to furnish certificate of election.
Status: in_force

Every city or town clerk or local board required by law to furnish any city, town, ward, or voting district officer elect with a proper certificate of the officers election who neglects or refuses to do so, as soon as possible after the election, shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-49 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-49
§ 17-19-49. Political literature and influence.
Status: in_force

No poster, paper, circular, or other document designed or tending to aid, injure, or defeat any candidate for public office or any political party on any question submitted to the voters shall be distributed or displayed within the voting place or within fifty (50) feet of the entrance or entrances to the building in which voting is conducted at any primary or election. Neither shall any election official display on his or her person within the voting place any political party button, badge, or other device tending to aid, injure, or defeat the candidacy of any person for public office or any question submitted to the voters or to intimidate or influence the voters.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-24.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-24.1
§ 17-19-24.1. Provisional voting under the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
Status: in_force

(a) If an individuals name does not appear on the certified voting list as provided for in § 17-19-24(b) and the individual is eligible to vote in an election for federal office or an election official asserts that the individual is not eligible to vote in the district in which the individual desires to vote, then the individual shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot as provided in Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act (P.L. 107-252) [42 U.S.C. § 15481].

(b) Provisional ballots provided for in this section shall be cast in accordance with rules and regulations which shall be promulgated by the state board of elections in accordance with the Help America Vote Act (P.L. 107-252) [42 U.S.C. § 15301 et seq.].
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-27 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-27
§ 17-25-27. Post-audit of accounts  Publication.
Status: in_force

The board may conduct a post-audit of all accounts and transactions for any election cycle and may conduct any other special audits and post-audits that it may deem necessary. The board shall publish a summary of the reports filed by candidates for general office pursuant to the public financing provision of this chapter on or before April 1 of the year following any year in which elections are held for statewide elective office.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-15 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-15
§ 17-25-15. Political action committee  Notice of formation.
Status: in_force

(a) No political action committee shall accept any contributions or make any expenditures prior to filing notice of its organization with the board of elections. The notice shall contain:

(1) The name or names of any candidates whose election or defeat the committee intends to advocate;

(2) The names and addresses of all officers of the committee;

(3) The mailing address or addresses of the committee;

(4) The goals and purposes of the political action committee; and

(5) A statement indicating whether the membership and/or contributor base of the political action committee is derived primarily from the employees of one corporation or business entity or from one business or professional group or association or labor union and, if so, the identity of that employer or group or association or union.

(b) No committee shall advocate the election or defeat of any candidate other than that set forth in its notice of organization or amendment to the notice. A political action committee may amend its notice of organization at any time. The board of elections shall prescribe forms in compliance with this section.

(c) In addition to all other reporting requirements, each political action committee shall include in each report required to be filed by this chapter:

(1) The source and amount of all funds received by the committee in excess of one hundred dollars ($100) in the aggregate from a single source in a calendar year; provided, that funds received through a regular payroll check-off plan in which the aggregate contribution from each individual does not exceed one hundred dollars ($100) per calendar year shall report the name and address of each entity transferring the funds to the committee, the aggregate amount received from the payroll check-off, and the total number of contributors; and provided also, that funds received by the political action committee of a labor organization from the members of the labor organization in amounts not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per calendar year from a single source shall be reported by the aggregate amount received and the total number of members of the labor organization contributing;

(2) The name and address of each person to whom expenditures were made, and the amount and purpose of each expenditure; and

(3) The name and address of each elected official and candidate for elected office to whom a contribution was made, and the amount of the contribution.

(d) The board of elections may reject the use by a political action committee of a name which is misleading and/or does not accurately identify the membership or contributor base of the committee.

(e) If a political action committee derives more than fifty percent (50%) of its funds from the employees, officers, directors, investors, and/or stockholders of a corporation or other business entity, the name of the political action committee must incorporate the name of that corporation or business entity. If a political action committee derives more than fifty percent (50%) of its funds from persons affiliated with one industry, profession, trade organization, or association or labor union, the name of the political action committee must identify that industry, profession, trade organization or association, or labor union.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-6-1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-6 / Section 17-6-1
§ 17-6-1. General powers and duties.
Status: in_force

(a) The secretary of state shall have those functions, powers, and duties relating to elections that may be provided by this title or any other law not inconsistent with this chapter. The secretary of state shall maintain a central roster of all elected and appointed officers of the state, including for each officer the nature of the officers tenure and the date of expiration of the officers term of office. The secretary of state shall maintain a central register of all persons registered to vote in the several cities and towns and shall add, amend, delete, and cancel any names appearing on the register as certified to the secretary by the several local boards and by the state board.

(b) The secretary of state may compile and publish a complete edition of the election law that the secretary shall make available to all election officials and candidates upon request and without charge. The secretary of state shall receive and file certificates of election results as provided by this title.

(c) Notwithstanding any provisions of the general laws to the contrary, the office of the secretary of state shall have the authority to submit and approve the specifications used by the department of administration in procuring voting systems, voting system-related services, and accessible voting equipment on behalf of the state.

(d) The secretary of state, with the assistance of the board of elections, shall conduct a cybersecurity assessment of election systems and facilities. The cybersecurity assessment shall include an assessment of the voter registration system, voting equipment, mechanisms to transmit election results, electronic poll books, and security of facilities.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-9 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-9
§ 17-19-9. Party emblems.
Status: in_force

The emblem of the democratic party shall be the representation of a star. The emblem of the republican party shall be the representation of an eagle. The emblem of any political organization qualifying as a political party, as defined in this title, shall be selected by the state chairperson of the party; provided, that the emblem shall be entirely different for each political party and may be any appropriate symbol, but neither the coat of arms, or seal of any state or of the United States, the national or state flag, any religious emblem or symbol, the seal of any society, the portrait or likeness of any person, or the representation of a coin or of the currency of the United States, shall be chosen as an emblem. Whenever any emblem has been selected and used upon official ballots for any political party, it shall not thereafter be used for any other political party.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-11 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-11
§ 17-25-11. Dates for filing of reports by treasurers of candidates or of committees.
Status: in_force

(a) During the period between the appointment of the campaign treasurer for state and municipal committees and political action committees, or in the case of an individual the date on which the individual becomes a declared or undeclared candidate as defined in § 17-25-3(3), except when the ninety-day (90) reporting period ends less than forty (40) days prior to an election in which case the ninety-day (90) report shall be included as part of the report required to be filed on the twenty-eighth (28th) day next preceding the day of the primary, general, or special election pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section, and the election, with respect to which contributions are received or expenditures made by him or her in behalf of, or in opposition to, a candidate, the campaign treasurer of a candidate, a political party committee, or a political action committee shall file a report containing an account of contributions received, and expenditures made, on behalf of, or in opposition to, a candidate:

(1) At ninety-day (90) intervals commencing on the date on which the individual first becomes a candidate, as defined in § 17-25-3(3);

(2) In a contested election, on the twenty-eighth (28th) and seventh (7th) days next preceding the day of the primary, general, or special election; provided, that in the case of a primary election for a special election where the twenty-eighth (28th) day next preceding the day of the primary election occurs prior to the first day for filing declarations of candidacy pursuant to § 17-14-1, the reports shall be due on the fourteenth (14th) and seventh (7th) days next preceding the day of the primary election for the special election; and

(3) A final report on the twenty-eighth (28th) day following the election. The report shall contain:

(i) The name and address and place of employment of each person from whom contributions in excess of a total of two hundred dollars ($200), within a calendar year were received;

(ii) The amount contributed by each person;

(iii) The name and address of each person to whom expenditures in excess of two hundred dollars ($200), were made; and

(iv) The amount and purpose of each expenditure.

(b) Concurrent with the report filed on the twenty-eighth (28th) day following an election, or at any time thereafter, the campaign treasurer of a candidate, or political party committee, or political action committee, may certify to the board of elections that the campaign fund of the candidate, political party committee, or political action committee having been instituted for the purposes of the past election, has completed its business and been dissolved or, in the event that the committee will continue its activities beyond the election, that its business regarding the past election has been completed. The certification shall be accompanied by a final accounting of the campaign fund, or of the transactions relating to the election, including the final disposition of any balance remaining in the fund at the time of dissolution or the arrangements that have been made for the discharge of any obligations remaining unpaid at the time of dissolution.

(c)(1) Once the campaign treasurer certifies that the campaign fund has completed its business and been dissolved, no contribution that is intended to defray expenditures incurred on behalf of, or in opposition to, a candidate during the campaign can be accepted. Until the time that the campaign treasurer certifies that the campaign fund has completed its business and been dissolved, the treasurer shall file reports containing an account of contributions received and expenditures made at ninety-day (90) intervals commencing with the next quarterly report following the election; however, the time to file under this subsection shall be no later than the last day of the month following the ninety-day (90) period, except when the last day of the month filing deadline following the ninety-day (90) reporting period occurs less than twenty-eight (28) days before an election, in which case the report shall be filed pursuant to the provisions of subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section. Provided, however, if the last day of the month falls on a weekend or a holiday, the report shall be due on the following business day.

(2) In addition to the reports required pursuant to this section, a candidate or office holder shall also file with the board of elections a paper copy of the account statement from the office holders campaign account, which account statement shall be the next account statement issued by their financial institution after the filing of the fourth quarterly campaign expense report. The account statement shall be submitted to the board within thirty (30) days of its receipt by the candidate, officeholder, treasurer, or deputy treasurer. The account statement shall not be deemed a public record pursuant to the provisions of chapter 2 of title 38. The board of elections, its agents, and employees shall not publish, deliver, copy, or disclose, to any person or entity any account statement or information contained therein for any candidate, former candidate, officeholder, party, or political action committee. Provided, as to state and municipal political parties, the requirements of this subsection (c)(2) shall apply to the annual report required pursuant to § 17-25-7.

(d)(1) There shall be no obligation to file the reports of expenditures required by this section on behalf of, or in opposition to, a candidate if the total amount to be expended in behalf of the candidacy by the candidate, by any political party committee, by any political action committee, or by any person shall not in the aggregate exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000).

(2) However, even though the aggregate amount expended on behalf of the candidacy does not exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000), reports must be made listing the source and amounts of all contributions in excess of a total of two hundred dollars ($200) from any one source, within a calendar year. Even though the aggregate amount expended on behalf of the candidacy does not exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) and no contribution from any one source, within a calendar year two hundred dollars ($200), the report shall state the aggregate amount of all contributions received. In addition, the report shall state the amount of aggregate contributions that were from individuals, the amount from political action committees, and the amount from political party committees.

(e) On or before the first date for filing contribution and expenditure reports, the campaign treasurer may file a sworn statement that the treasurer will accept no contributions nor make aggregate expenditures in excess of the minimum amounts for which a report is required by this chapter. Thereafter, the campaign treasurer shall be excused from filing all the reports for that campaign, other than the final report due on the twenty-eighth (28th) day following the election.

(f) A campaign treasurer must file a report containing an account of contributions received and expenditures made at the ninety-day (90) intervals provided for in subsection (c) of this section for any ninety-day (90) period in which the campaign received contributions in excess of a total of two hundred dollars ($200), within a calendar year from any one source and/or made expenditures in excess of two thousand dollars ($2,000) within a calendar year; however, the time to file under this subsection shall be no later than the last day of the month following the ninety-day (90) period, except when the last day of the month filing deadline following the ninety-day (90) reporting period occurs less than twenty-eight (28) days before an election, in which case the report shall be filed pursuant to the provisions of subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section. Provided, however, if the last day of the month falls on a weekend or a holiday, the report shall be due on the following business day.

(g)(1) The board of elections may, for good cause shown and upon the receipt of a written or electronic request, grant a seven-day (7) extension for filing a report; provided, that the request must be received no later than the date upon which the report is due to be filed.

(2) Any person or entity required to file reports with the board of elections pursuant to this section and who or that has not filed the report by the required date, unless granted an extension pursuant to subsection (g)(1) of this section, shall be fined twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this section, the board of elections shall have the authority to waive late filing fees for good cause shown.

(3) The board of elections shall send a notice of non-compliance, by certified mail, to any person or entity who or that fails to file the reports required by this section. A person or entity who or that is sent a notice of non-compliance and fails to file the required report within seven (7) days of the receipt of the notice, shall be fined two dollars ($2.00) per day from the day of receipt of the notice of non-compliance until the day the report has been received by the state board. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this section, the board of elections shall have the authority to waive late filing fees for good cause shown.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-27-2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-27 / Section 17-27-2
§ 17-27-2. Affidavits required.
Status: in_force

In connection with contracts for goods or services to be provided at a cost of five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more between a state vendor and a state agency, whether written or unwritten, the state vendor shall execute, under oath, an affidavit concerning reportable contributions pursuant to chapter 25 of this title. If the state vendor has, within the twenty-four (24) months preceding the date of the contract, contributed an aggregate amount in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within a calendar year to any general officer, any candidate for a general office, any member of the general assembly or candidate for the general assembly, or any political party; the state vendor shall file the affidavit with the board of elections and shall list the name of the general officer, member of the general assembly or candidate or political party, the amount and date of each contribution made during the preceding twenty-four (24) months and the total gross amount, in dollars, of contracts entered into between the state vendor and all state agencies during that period of time.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-29 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-29
§ 17-20-29. Mail applicant not permitted to vote at polls.
Status: in_force

(a) No person, or one claiming to be that person, whose name has been marked upon any voting list, provided for official use at any election, with the mark as provided by § 17-20-10, shall be permitted to vote in person at the election; provided, that the person may re-establish his or her right to vote in person by presenting himself or herself at that persons local board on or before election day and surrendering his or her mail ballot. Upon that surrender the persons name shall be restored to the voting list. Any person whose name has been marked on the voting list may also be permitted to vote in person if that person executes and delivers to the local board an affidavit stating that the person did not receive the mail ballot, or that the mail ballot was lost or destroyed.

(b) Each local board shall, immediately after the close of the polls, certify and deliver to the state board the names and addresses of all persons restored to the voting list, together with the affidavits and surrendered ballots received pursuant to this section.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-14.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-14.1
§ 17-20-14.1. Mail ballots  Local supervision.
Status: in_force

Each local board shall be authorized to appoint one or more bipartisan pairs of supervisors in the manner that other bipartisan pairs of supervisors are appointed for each election, whose duty it shall be to attend each person who makes an application for a mail ballot under §§ 17-20-2.1 and 17-20-2.2, who does not fall under the provisions of § 17-20-14, and who requests that a bipartisan pair of supervisors be sent by the board of canvassers to that persons place of residence for the purpose of supervising or assisting the mail voter in casting his or her vote. The bipartisan pairs of supervisors shall supervise the casting of votes by persons using the mail ballot at a place that preserves their secrecy and shall take acknowledgments, and jointly provide assistance, if requested, to assure proper marking, sealing, and mailing of ballots as voted. The failure or neglect of any local board to appoint these bipartisan pairs, or the failure or neglect of any pair to attend any place at which a mail voters ballot may be used, or the marking, sealing, or mailing of ballots in the absence of any pair, shall not invalidate any ballot.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-53 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-53
§ 17-19-53. Voter accompanied by children within voting booth.
Status: in_force

Nothing contained in the general laws of Rhode Island shall prevent a voter from being accompanied by a child or children who are under the age of eighteen (18) years while the voter is within the voting booth area, provided that the child or children are under the voters care and supervision.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-26 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-26
§ 17-25-26. Equal apportionment of expenditures for joint advertisements.
Status: in_force

Any expenditure jointly made by any two (2) or more candidates for any newspaper, radio, or television advertisement primarily benefiting the candidate shall be attributed to and apportioned equally among those candidates who are clearly identified in that advertisement. The apportionments shall constitute campaign expenditures subject to all reporting requirements of this chapter and shall be counted toward any total campaign expenditures limit that may apply to each or any of the candidates.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-4 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-4
§ 17-19-4. Voting booths and optical scan precinct count units  Number to be furnished.
Status: in_force

(a) For each voting district and for each town not divided into voting districts, at least one precinct count unit shall be prepared and delivered by the state board or its designee.

(b) At each voting place, both in cities and in towns, at least one voting booth shall be furnished for every one hundred seventy-five (175) qualified electors, whose names are upon the voting list used at the voting place and entitled to use the machines, as certified to the state board based on the voting list certified as a result of the final canvass.

(c) In making the calculation required by this section, voters whose names are on the inactive list of voters shall not be included.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-1-10 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-1 / Section 17-1-10
§ 17-1-10. Lincoln town officials  Inauguration date.
Status: in_force

The voters of the town of Lincoln may vote, at the next regularly scheduled election to be held on November 7, 2000, on whether to modify the Town Home Rule Charter to change the inauguration date of officials of the town of Lincoln from the first Tuesday of December in even-numbered years to the first Tuesday of January in odd-numbered years to coincide with the inaugurations of state officers.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-6-13 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-6 / Section 17-6-13
§ 17-6-13. Electoral process education  Voter information hotline.
Status: in_force

(a) During each year in which a general election is to be held, the secretary of state shall identify communities within the state in need of electoral process education by outreaching community organizations. Electoral process education shall consist of instruction on how a person may become a candidate for electoral office and how a person registers and votes for candidates for electoral office. The secretary of state shall furnish electoral process education throughout the state of Rhode Island in a manner to be determined by the secretary of state.

(b) The secretary of state shall make available a free telephone hotline to provide the public with information about the electoral process, including the voting process, registering to vote, and polling locations. This hotline shall be available in multiple languages.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-4-5 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-4 / Section 17-4-5
§ 17-4-5. Time of election of senators.
Status: in_force

The election of a senator in congress shall be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, in the year 1958, and on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in every sixth year thereafter, and on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in the year 1960, and on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in every sixth year thereafter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-22-1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-22 / Section 17-22-1
§ 17-22-1. Commencement and continuance of tabulations.
Status: in_force

The state board shall commence the counting, canvassing, and tabulating of all votes cast, including mail ballots, at eight oclock (8:00) p.m. on any election day at which mail ballots may be cast and within twenty-four (24) hours after any other election or primary, and shall continue and complete the tabulation with all reasonable expedition by using an optical scan count system.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-14-4 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-14 / Section 17-14-4
§ 17-14-4. Preparation of nomination papers for candidates  Combination of endorsed candidates  Furnishing of nomination papers to candidates.
Status: in_force

(a) Upon receipt of the declarations referred to in § 17-14-1, within two (2) business days of the final date for filing endorsements, the secretary of state for statewide candidates and the local board for general assembly and local candidates shall prepare nomination papers for each person who has filed a declaration of candidacy as provided in § 17-14-1. A minimum of three (3) sets of nomination papers shall be prepared for each candidate whose name appears on nomination papers containing the name of a candidate for general assembly and for local office. Nomination papers for voters from the city of Providence for the offices enumerated in § 17-14-1 shall be furnished by the secretary of state. Nomination papers shall be prepared with the name of the candidate as it appears on the voting list, notwithstanding that the candidate may have signed their declaration of candidacy other than as the candidates name appears on the voting list. Candidates for nomination for different offices endorsed by the appropriate committee of any party shall be combined on the same nomination papers. The names of candidates for different offices not endorsed by the appropriate committee of any party shall not be combined on the same nomination papers. Nomination papers for candidates for general assembly shall be furnished by the local board of the general assembly candidate. Nomination papers shall be furnished to the local boards by the secretary of state and each shall bear the imprint of the state coat of arms and any additional language required by law. Nomination papers shall be appropriately marked or color coded to indicate the different political parties, the endorsed and unendorsed candidates of those parties, and independent candidates.

(b) Candidates for nomination may, at their own expense, have nomination papers duplicated in exact appearance and as prescribed in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Nomination papers furnished by the secretary of state shall be personally issued to the candidate, or in the case of combined nomination papers to one of the candidates, for whom they were prepared, or to an individual presenting written authorization from the candidate, or one of the candidates appearing on them, to receive the nomination papers.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-5-3 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-5 / Section 17-5-3
§ 17-5-3. Publication of questions to be submitted to voters.
Status: in_force

(a) Prior to each general election at which public questions are to be submitted, the secretary of state shall cause to be printed and shall send one copy of the full text of each legislative act to be acted upon and applicable to the state at large, or the secretary of state may substitute a description of the text of each act in lieu of the full text, to each residential unit in Rhode Island together with the following information:

(1) The designated number of the question;

(2) A brief caption of the question;

(3) A brief explanation of the measure that is the subject matter of the question stated in plain language reasonably calculated to be understood by persons with an eighth-grade reading level; and

(4) A notice that voter fraud is a felony and the penalty for voter fraud. This notice shall be in conspicuous lettering and shall contain the following language: You must be registered to vote from your actual place of residence.

(b) If the public question involves the issuance of bonds or other evidence of indebtedness or any other long-term financial obligation such as a lease, the notice required by subsection (a) shall also include at least the following information to be provided by the agency or department for which the bonds or other evidence of indebtedness or any other long-term financial obligation is intended:

(1) The estimated total cost of the project or program, including financing (using a reasonable assumed rate of interest), legal, and other costs.

(2) The estimated useful life of the project, and the term of the bonds, other indebtedness, or other obligation.

(3) A reasonably detailed description of the project or program, its purposes, and a project timetable.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-1
§ 17-20-1. Voting by mail ballot.
Status: in_force

The electors of this state who, for any of the reasons set forth in § 17-20-2, being otherwise qualified to vote, shall have the right to vote, in the manner and time provided by this chapter, in all general and special elections and primaries, including presidential primaries in this state for electors of president and vice-president of the United States, United States senators in Congress, representatives in Congress, general officers of the state, senators and representatives in the general assembly for the respective districts in which the elector is duly qualified to vote, and for any other officers whose names appear on the state ballot and for any city, town, ward, or district officers whose names appear on the respective city or town ballots in the ward or district of the city or town in which the elector is duly qualified to vote, and also to approve or reject any proposition of amendment to the Constitution or other propositions appearing on the state, city, or town ballot.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-37.4 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-37.4
§ 17-19-37.4. Post-election audits.
Status: in_force

(a) The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that auditing of election results is necessary to ensure effective election administration and public confidence in the election results. Further, risk-limiting audits provide a more effective manner of conducting audits than traditional audit methods in that risk-limiting audit methods typically require only limited resources for election contests with wide margins of victory while investing greater resources in close contests.

(b) Commencing in 2018, the board, in conjunction with local boards, is authorized to conduct risk-limiting audits after all primary, general, and special elections in accordance with the requirements of this section. Commencing in 2020, the state board, in conjunction with local boards, must conduct risk-limiting audits after the presidential preference primary and general elections in accordance with the requirements in this section.

(c) The audit program shall be conducted as follows:

(1) The state board shall determine what local, state, and federal contests are subject to a risk-limiting audit;

(2) The state board shall provide notice pursuant to chapter 46 of title 42 of the time and place of the random selection of the audit units to be manually tallied and of the times and places of the audits;

(3) The state board shall make available to the public a report of the vote-tabulating device results for the contest, including the results for each audit unit in the contest, prior to the random selection of audit units to be manually tallied and prior to the commencement of the audit;

(4) The state board, in conjunction with the local boards, shall conduct the audit upon tabulation of the unofficial final results as provided in §§ 17-19-36 and 17-19-37; and

(5) The state board, in conjunction with the local boards, shall conduct the audit in public view by manually interpreting the ballots according to rules established by the state board in accordance with chapter 35 of title 42.

(d) If a risk-limiting audit of a contest leads to a full manual tally of the ballots cast using the voting system, the vote counts according to that manual tally shall replace the vote counts reported pursuant to §§ 17-19-36 and 17-19-37 for the purpose of determining the official contest results pursuant to §§ 17-22-5.2 and 17-22-6.

(e) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) Audit unit means a precinct, a set of ballots, or a single ballot. A precinct, a set of ballots, or a single ballot may be used as an audit unit for purposes of this section only if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(i) The relevant vote-tabulating device is able to produce a report of the votes cast in the precinct, set of ballots, or single ballot; and

(ii) Each ballot is assigned to not more than one audit unit.

(2) Contest means an election for an office or for a measure.

(3) Risk-limiting audit means a manual tally employing a statistical method that ensures a large, predetermined minimum chance of requiring a full manual tally whenever a full manual tally would show an electoral outcome that differs from the outcome reported by the vote-tabulating system for the audited contest. A risk-limiting audit shall begin with a hand tally of the votes in one or more audit units and shall continue to hand tally votes in additional audit units until there is strong statistical evidence that the electoral outcome is correct. In the event that counting additional audit units does not provide strong statistical evidence that the electoral outcome is correct, the audit shall continue until there has been a full manual tally to determine the correct electoral outcome of the audited contest.

(4) Unofficial final results means election results tabulated pursuant to §§ 17-19-36 and 17-19-37.

(f) The results of any audits conducted under this section shall be published on the website of the state board within forty-eight (48) hours of being accepted by the state board. If the audit involved a manual tally of one or more entire precincts, then the names and numbers of all precincts audited and a comparison of the vote tabulator results with the hand counts for each precinct shall be published with the audit results on the website.

(g) Any audit required under this section shall not commence for any election subject to a recount pursuant to §§ 17-19-37.1, 17-19-37.2, and 17-19-37.3 until the conclusion of said recount.

(h) The state board shall promulgate rules, regulations, and procedures in accordance with chapter 35 of title 42 necessary to implement this section.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-6.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-6.1
§ 17-19-6.1. Local questions on the ballot.
Status: in_force

In all circumstances where local questions are to be printed on the ballot, they shall be printed on a distinctive colored background. The first question shall be designated by the numeral I, and additional questions shall follow numbered so that all questions submitted to the electors of the city/town shall be numbered consecutively; provided, that whenever there are propositions of amendment of the Constitution or any public question of statewide impact on the ballot, the statewide questions shall be listed on the ballot numbered consecutively starting with the numeral I, and the local questions shall follow starting with the first available number and shall be numbered consecutively.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-10.2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-10.2
§ 17-20-10.2. Official state blank ballots.
Status: in_force

In the event the official ballot is not available for issuance and mailing forty-five (45) days before a general, primary, or special election, persons applying for a mail ballot under subdivision 17-20-2(3) and persons applying for a mail ballot through the use of the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) shall be issued an official state blank ballot forty-five (45) days before the election. Additionally, the voter shall be sent the official ballot immediately upon the ballots becoming available. The office of secretary of state shall be responsible for the arrangement, preparation, printing and distribution of the official state blank ballots. The secretary of state shall also be responsible for all accompanying candidate listings to the extent that information is available, instruction sheets, and envelopes.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-13-2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-13 / Section 17-13-2
§ 17-13-2. Affidavits of error in lists.
Status: in_force

Any person claiming that his or her name has been erroneously included in or omitted from a preliminary list may set up that fact in his or her affidavit and, if that person files the affidavit with the proper local board within five (5) days after the preliminary list has been posted, as provided in § 17-13-1, the local board shall make the proper change in the list if satisfied of the proof of the claim. The affidavit shall be open to public inspection under any regulations that shall be promulgated by the local board.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-12-6.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-12 / Section 17-12-6.1
§ 17-12-6.1. Composition of town committees in Johnston.
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 17-12-6 and 17-12-7, the town committees of the town of Johnston shall consist of twenty-five (25) members; five (5) each to be elected from the qualified electors of the five (5) council districts of the town comprising the respective candidates from each district receiving the most votes in each district. The five (5) members elected from each district shall constitute a council district committee, which shall organize and endorse the council and school committee candidates from each district. The town committee shall elect a chairperson and provide the endorsement for the party candidate for mayor.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-3 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-3
§ 17-19-3. Voting equipment and services  Specifications.
Status: in_force

(a) The board of elections shall, in consultation with the office of secretary of state, develop, from time to time, and, in coordination with the general assembly for the purpose of funding procurement, submit specifications to the department of administration that the department of administration shall utilize in procuring voting equipment, voting systems, and services related thereto in accordance with this chapter and chapter 2 of title 37. These specifications and requests for proposals for the options of purchasing, leasing to own, or renting precinct-count voting systems that utilize technologies, methods, and equipment considered reasonable best practices for the state and in compliance with all laws, and for a full-service contract for such voting systems, shall be constructed and shall operate in a manner that meets the following minimum requirements:

(1) It shall enable the voter to:

(i) Mark his or her ballot and cast his or her vote in secrecy;

(ii) Vote for all candidates of political parties or organizations, and for, or against, questions as submitted;

(iii) Vote for as many persons for an office as the voter is lawfully entitled to vote for, but no more; and

(iv) Vote on any question the voter may have the right to vote on;

(2) It shall prevent the voter from voting for the same person more than once for the same office;

(3) The voting equipment shall allow the voter to cast one vote, thereby allowing the voter to vote for all the presidential electors of a party by a clear and unambiguous means; provided, that means shall be furnished by which the voter can cast a vote in part for the candidates for presidential electors of one party, and in part for those of one or more other parties, or in part or in whole, for persons not nominated by any party;

(4) The precinct-counting system shall meet the following specifications:

(i) Vote counting, including absentee ballots, shall be performed through the use of automated electronic equipment;

(ii) All vote counting shall be performed on equipment supplied as part of the bid. The system shall not require the use of non-supplied equipment to count ballots or tabulate results;

(iii) There shall be privacy enclosures in which a voter may mark his or her ballot or otherwise cast his or her vote in secret;

(iv) There shall be a device located in each polling place that can record the vote count and tally the vote count in that polling place and that can produce a printed tally of all races contained on said ballot in human, readable form. The device shall automatically print a zero report at the beginning of the day when the device is activated. The device that receives ballots for counting shall have an external counter indicating the number of ballots received. The actual vote tally shall be capable of being performed only by election officials and shall not be visible during the actual voting process. Each recording device shall ensure the security of voted ballots and ease of access;

(v) As part of the voting process, there shall be created a physical ballot showing the votes cast by an individual voter that is capable of being hand counted so that electronic-recorded device totals can be checked for accuracy;

(vi) There shall be a device at each polling place to receive the physical audit trail of ballots cast and that shall securely store the ballots and have the capability of restricting access to the ballots only to authorize officials;

(vii) In the event of loss of electrical power, the polling place vote count shall be stored on an ongoing basis in media that will retain the count of the votes cast to that point in time for a period of no less than five (5) years;

(viii) The polling place vote counts shall be stored on a stable media that may be easily transported and that may be accessed and counted by an electronic device so that state, city, and/or town vote totals can be electronically calculated by combining individual polling place totals. It shall not be necessary to enter individual polling place totals by, and into, a central computer or device for the purpose of producing the state, city, and/or town totals, but rather the electronic media on which the polling place totals are stored shall be directly readable and accessible by a regional or central device;

(ix) There shall be a device that has the capability to electronically read the storage device upon which the individual polling place totals are stored and that shall produce a combined total for all races, which total can be printed in easily readable and legible form in a format prescribed by the state board of elections;

(x) The system provided shall allow the secretary of state to have the capability to design the ballot format;

(xi) The system shall provide a capability for the state, without the use of outside services, to set up and prepare the counting devices to total an election; and

(xii) The system must be capable of receiving voted ballots without counting when without power and must provide for securely storing uncounted ballots;

(5) The following minimum equipment shall be required for the state:

(i) There shall be a minimum number of units to permit counting to be conducted in each polling place within the state with a reserve of equipment on hand;

(ii) There shall be a sufficient number of voting booths for each precinct to accommodate voters as determined in this title;

(iii) The number of polling place units and voting booths must be sufficient to permit the election to run smoothly without excessive waiting of voters;

(iv) If there is an increase in the number of polling places statewide during the term of the contract, the vendor will supply additional polling place units and voting booths at a cost proportional to the cost of the initial units pro rated for the balance of the agreement years;

(v)(A) There shall be high-speed, absentee vote tabulating equipment. These tabulators, as a whole, must be capable of counting absentee ballots at a reasonable best practices rate. The tabulators shall utilize the same ballots used in the polling place;

(B) This system shall have the following capabilities in connection with the counting of ballots and producing results:

(I) This system shall be able to read the media from the polling place units on which polling place results are stored and shall be able to compile polling place results producing a ballot total for each race; and

(II) This system shall be capable of producing and printing out ballot totals on a polling-place-by-polling-place basis for each race, and shall be capable of producing a final total and subtotals of all races from all races and polling places in the state. All totals must be able to be produced at any time, based upon the number of polling places counted up to that point in time, and these printout results shall state the number of precincts counted and the percentage of precincts reporting;

(vi) There shall be all equipment necessary to program the system and erase the memory devices;

(vii) Reasonable best-practices tabulating equipment shall be located in each of the thirty-nine (39) local boards of canvassers and the central tabulation equipment shall be located at the state board of elections. The state board of elections, in conjunction with the service contract vendor, no less than thirty (30) days prior to an election, shall test the tabulation system to be utilized for the election and determine whether regional and/or central tabulation is adequate, and if regional tabulation is required, so implement it. The tabulation system shall have the following capabilities in connection with the counting of ballots and producing results:

(A) This system shall be able to read the media from the polling place units on which polling place results are stored and shall be able to compile polling place results producing a ballot total for each race;

(B) This system shall be capable of producing and printing out ballot totals on a polling-place-by-polling-place basis for each race and shall be capable of producing a final total and subtotal of all races from all races and polling places in the state;

(C) All totals must be able to be produced at any time based upon the number of polling places counted up to that point in time, and the printout results shall state the number of precincts counted and the percentage of precincts reporting; and

(D) This system shall be capable of transferring information gathered from the precincts and, if regional and/or central tabulation sites are utilized, the system shall be capable of transferring information gathered at any regional or central sites utilized by the thirty-nine (39) local boards of canvassers;

(6) All necessary programming and accumulation software shall be provided to run the election system in accordance with the required specifications as well as all necessary and required modules. Any software updates during the term of the agreement shall not be charged to the state;

(7) The vendor of the precinct-count system shall provide written proof of compliance with federal standards then in place and administered by the designated federal agency or organization from an independent testing company and this written proof must be on file with the office of the secretary of state and the state board of elections;

(8) The vendor shall also provide the following information to be included in the vendors bid proposal:

(i)(A) An audited financial statement covering the previous five (5) years, and if the vendor is not the manufacturer of the equipment, both the agent and manufacturer must submit an audited financial statement covering the previous five (5) years with the bid;

(B) In the event that either the vendor, agent, or manufacturer has been in existence for less than five (5) years, that entity must submit an audited financial statement for each and every full year that they have been in existence;

(ii) Proof of experience in the field of elections including, but not limited to, years of experience in this field and experience with a jurisdiction having the same needs as the state of Rhode Island; and

(iii) Names and addresses of the support organizations that will provide support of all equipment.

(b) The full-service plan shall include the following services, but, at the discretion of the office of the secretary of state, shall not be limited to the following services:

(1) Computer coding and layout of all ballots to be used in each election under contract, including the printing of the ballot and the preparation of the ballot-reading and accessible voting device to ensure that the ballots are compatible with the ballot-reading device. Subsequent thereto, the state board of elections shall be responsible for the following:

(2) Testing of each precinct count and accessible voting unit for logic and accuracy including calibration of any touchscreens and the testing of the coding by creating a sufficient number of ballots on the accessible voting units and ensuring the ballots are accurate and properly read by the precinct count unit;

(3) Testing of each programmed memory device on each precinct count and accessible voting unit;

(4) Set up of each precinct-count and accessible voting unit at each polling place;

(5) Maintenance of all precinct-count and accessible voting units;

(6) Training of poll workers;

(7) On-site election night staff at the central tabulation location and any other locations as may be determined by the state board to receive and transmit election results;

(8) On-site election day field technicians to respond to repair calls;

(9) Providing the following equipment and supplies:

(i) Secrecy covers for voted ballots;

(ii) Demonstration ballots;

(iii) Precision-cut shell program ballots ready for printing with timing marks;

(iv) Marking pens;

(v) Ballot transfer cases;

(vi) Envelopes for mailing and receiving absentee ballots; and

(vii) Printer ribbons, paper tape rolls, and seals.

(c) Any bid proposal by an offeror for a precinct-count system and a full-service agreement for a precinct-count system that does not conform in all respects to the requirements of subsections (a)(1)  (b)(9)(vii) of this section may be accepted by the office of the secretary of state with the consent of the department of administration. The office of the secretary of state shall memorialize the acceptance of any bid proposal that does not conform with the requirements of subsections (a)(1)  (b)(9)(vii) of this section in each instance of such non-conformance.

(d) The office of the secretary of state periodically shall conduct a review of the election system, provide a report to the general assembly, and shall be responsible for establishing minimum requirements and specifications for the procurement of voting equipment and services.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-8-6 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-8 / Section 17-8-6
§ 17-8-6. Fees in cities other than Cranston and Woonsocket.
Status: in_force

The local boards in the cities of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Newport, and Warwick shall not retain to their own use any of the fees now allowed by law to recording and certifying officers, but shall charge and collect the statutory fees for any record, certificate, or copy required by law to be made by the board, and shall pay over the fees on the first business day of every month to the city treasurer of the respective city; provided, that those boards shall furnish, as now required by law, certified copies of any list of qualified electors in any representative district, ward, or voting district in the city on payment of the sum of one dollar ($1.00) for each certified list, which sums shall also be paid into the city treasury of the cities as provided in this section.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-23-5 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-23 / Section 17-23-5
§ 17-23-5. Bribery or intimidation of voters  Immunity of witnesses in bribery trials.
Status: in_force

Every person who directly or indirectly gives, or offers to agree to give, to any elector or to any person for the benefit of any elector, any sum of money or other valuable consideration for the purpose of inducing the elector to give in or withhold that electors vote at any election in this state, or by way of reward for having voted or withheld that electors vote, or who uses any threat or employs any means of intimidation for the purpose of influencing the elector to vote or withhold that electors vote for or against any candidate or candidates or proposition pending at an election, shall be guilty of a felony, and no person after conviction of this offense, shall be permitted to vote in any election or upon any proposition pending before the people, or to hold any public office; and no evidence given by any witness testifying upon the trial of any charge of bribery shall be used against the person giving the evidence.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-30.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-30.1
§ 17-25-30.1. Community antenna television  Rules and regulations.
Status: in_force

The administrator for the division of public utilities for the state of Rhode Island shall formulate rules and regulations concerning the allocation of advertising time to be used by those candidates for public office who are eligible to receive public funds and who comply in full with all eligible criteria for receipt of the funds.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-1
§ 17-25-1. Short title.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Rhode Island Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-5 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-5
§ 17-19-5. Printing and furnishing of computer ballots.
Status: in_force

The computer ballots to be used at any election shall be printed and furnished at the expense of the state by the secretary of state and turned over to the state board.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-10-4 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-10 / Section 17-10-4
§ 17-10-4. Defacement of posted lists.
Status: in_force

Every person who unlawfully takes down, defaces, or destroys any list of voters posted up as provided in § 17-10-3 shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-39.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-39.1
§ 17-19-39.1. Voted ballot storage and security.
Status: in_force

(a) Voted computer ballots that were counted at the state board shall be stored in containers by the state board until the expiration of twenty-two (22) months from the date of election and voted computer ballots that were voted and packaged at a local precinct or counted at the local board shall be held and stored in containers by the local board in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the state board until the expiration of twenty-two (22) months from the date of election. The voted ballots shall remain stored in the appropriate containers unless ordered to be opened by the state board or a court of law. The computer file containing ballot layout information and candidate totals shall be transferred to a disk and retained permanently.

(b) Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, the state board shall have the authority to examine and inspect the voted ballots subsequent to the certification of an election.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-2
§ 17-19-2. Voting equipment.
Status: in_force

Subject to the provisions of this chapter, voting equipment that has been procured by the department of administration according to the provisions of this chapter shall be used in all state, city, or town elections, including elections at which amendments to the constitution of the state are submitted to the electors for approval. Until such voting equipment is procured by the department of administration pursuant to the specifications provided by the office of the secretary of state, voting equipment previously acquired by the department of administration according to the provisions of this chapter in effect at that time shall continue to be used in all state, city, or town elections, including elections at which amendments to the constitution of the state are submitted to the electors for approval.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-14-2.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-14 / Section 17-14-2.1
§ 17-14-2.1. Party candidates not eligible for independent nomination and independent candidates not eligible for party nomination.
Status: in_force

No person who has filed a declaration of candidacy as an independent candidate pursuant to § 17-14-1 for an office for which a party candidate may be nominated pursuant to this chapter shall be eligible to file a declaration of candidacy as a party candidate for the same office or for any other public office in the same election year, and no person who has filed a declaration of candidacy as a party candidate pursuant to § 17-14-1 for an office for which an independent candidate may be nominated pursuant to this chapter shall be eligible to file a declaration of candidacy as an independent candidate for the same office or for any other public office in the same election year.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-8-3 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-8 / Section 17-8-3
§ 17-8-3. Compensation.
Status: in_force

Each member of a local board shall receive any compensation that may be provided by the governing body of each city or town; provided, that in the several towns where no other provision is made for compensation, each member of the local board shall be paid by that members respective town five dollars ($5.00) per day for every days attendance in the discharge of the members respective duties, and the town clerks shall be paid, in addition, legal fees for making out and recording the several lists and returns required by this title.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-10 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-10
§ 17-25-10. Lawful methods of contributing to support of candidates  Reporting  Disposition of anonymous contributions.
Status: in_force

(a) No contribution shall be made or received, and no expenditures shall be directly made or incurred, to support or defeat a candidate except through:

(1) The candidate or duly appointed campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer of the candidate;

(2) The duly appointed campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer of a political party committee;

(3) The duly appointed campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer of a political action committee.

(b) It shall be lawful for any person, not otherwise prohibited by law and not acting in concert with any other person or group, to expend personally from that persons own funds a sum that is not to be repaid to him or her for any purpose not prohibited by law to support or defeat a candidate; provided, that any person making the expenditure shall be required to report all of his or her expenditures and expenses, if the total of the money so expended exceeds one hundred dollars ($100) within a calendar year, to the board of elections within seven (7) days of making the expenditure and to the campaign treasurer of the candidate or political party committee on whose behalf the expenditure or contribution was made, or to his or her deputy, within seven (7) days of making the expenditure. The treasurer or his or her deputy shall cause the expenditures and expenses to be included in his or her reports to the board of elections. Whether a person is acting in concert with any other person or group for the purposes of this subsection shall be determined by application of the standards set forth in § 17-25-23.

(c) Any anonymous contribution received by a candidate, campaign treasurer, or deputy campaign treasurer shall not be used or expended, but shall be returned to the donor, if the donors identity can be ascertained; if not, the contribution shall escheat to the state.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-22.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-22.1
§ 17-20-22.1. Mail ballot drop boxes.
Status: in_force

(a) Drop box means the locked and secure container established and maintained by the board of elections, in accordance with this section, that shall serve as a receptacle for the receipt of mail and emergency ballots cast by voters. Every drop box established by the board of elections shall be deemed to be the property of the board of elections and shall be accessible to the public, beginning thirty-five (35) days prior to the date of statewide or federal elections; and provided, further, that the drop boxes shall be accessible beginning twenty (20) days prior to all special elections held under this title, available twenty-four (24) hours per day and seven (7) days per week throughout this period, if established outside a municipal building, and during the normal business hours of the facility if established inside a municipal building. All drop boxes must be accessible on election day, from the time polls open until the time they close, in accordance with §§ 17-18-10 and 17-18-11. Any ballot that is cast by a voter, as either a mail ballot or emergency ballot, and is deposited into a drop box on or before the close of polls on election day, shall be deemed to be received by and in the possession of the board of elections. At the close of polls on election day, upon the last ballot deposited by any person in line at that time, a designated agent of the board of elections shall lock the ballot slot of the drop box to ensure that no other ballots are deposited in the drop box; provided, further, if there is another election scheduled to be held under this title in the city or town within thirty-five (35) days after the drop box is locked pursuant to this section, the drop box shall be reopened, if applicable, the following day at 8:30 a.m.

(b) Drop boxes must be labeled State of Rhode Island Official Ballot Drop Box for Mail Ballots, and include language about postage and display the official seal of the board of elections. Drop boxes must be accessible by persons with disabilities. Drop boxes shall be monitored by a video surveillance system.

(c) No town or city shall have fewer than one drop box. A drop box may be established inside a municipal building, only if the building remains open and accessible to the public throughout the prescribed time period prior to election day and until the close of the polls, in accordance with § 17-18-10. A drop box shall also be placed outside the office of the board of elections and the election division of the office of the secretary of state. Drop boxes must be placed in locations that are accessible to persons with disabilities.

(d) Each local board of canvassers shall determine the location of every drop box located within the geographic area over which that local board has authority, in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the board of elections.

(e) Each drop box shall not accept the deposit of mail ballots after the last person in line to deposit a ballot in that drop box at the time the polls close, on the day of the election, has deposited their ballot.

(f) Each local board shall make the location of every drop box within the area over which it has authority publicly available on its website, to the extent feasible. The board of elections shall make the location of all drop boxes located within the state publicly available at its office and on its website.

(g) The board of elections shall designate one or more staff members of each local board of canvassers as the official agents of the board of elections, for purposes of retrieving ballots deposited in drop boxes and establish a schedule and process by which drop boxes are regularly emptied and any ballots they contain are securely and promptly transported to the board of elections.

(h) The board of elections shall promulgate regulations consistent with this section, including regulations for the location of drop boxes and the receipt, storage, security, regular collection, and transportation of the mail ballots returned.

(i) The board of elections may promulgate regulations for the use of drop boxes for depositing mail ballot applications during the applicable timeframe for accepting mail ballot applications.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-26 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-26
§ 17-19-26. Models for instruction  Assistance to voters in marking their ballot.
Status: in_force

Any person desiring information or assistance in voting on election day shall apply to the warden, who shall instruct the person by the use of the sample ballots. If a voter needs assistance in casting his or her vote itself, and requests this assistance, the warden shall direct the second or additional bipartisan pair to instruct or assist the voter. The bipartisan pair shall enter the voting booth with the voter and instruct the voter in the marking of his or her ballot, and if the voter has no further need of them, they shall both withdraw before the voter casts his or her vote. If, the voter is unable to mark his or her ballot, the bipartisan pair shall mark the ballot for the voter as he or she directs, but unless ordered to do so by a court of competent jurisdiction, neither member of the pair shall disclose for whom and how the voter voted. In every case of this nature, both members of the bipartisan pair shall enter and leave the voting booth together, and it shall be a violation of this chapter for either to enter or remain alone.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-18-6 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-18 / Section 17-18-6
§ 17-18-6. District moderator and clerk.
Status: in_force

The officers of a voting district shall be a moderator and a clerk. The moderator shall preside in all meetings of his or her district until his or her successor is elected and qualified. The moderator shall have the same authority in these meetings as moderators of town meetings have, and shall be subject to the same penalties for willful violation or neglect of duty. The clerk shall keep a record of the proceedings of the meetings in his or her district, and, after a choice of officers in his or her district, shall, in writing duly certified, notify the town or city clerk of the choice; provided, that in the cities of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Newport, Cranston, Woonsocket, and Warwick, the notification shall be made to the local board.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-14-8 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-14 / Section 17-14-8
§ 17-14-8. Signing of nomination papers.
Status: in_force

Not all endorsers of a candidate need sign on the same nomination papers, but endorsers who are voters in different cities and towns shall not sign the same sheet. Every voter signing a nomination paper shall sign in person with his or her name, place of residence, and street number, as it appears on the voting list. The signature shall be accepted as valid if it can be reasonably identified to be the signature of the voter it purports to be. A variation of the voters signature by the insertion or omission of identifying titles or by the substitution of initials for the first or middle names, or both, shall not in itself be grounds for invalidation of the signature. Any voter who is unable to write may sign by making his or her mark X on the nomination paper in the presence of two (2) witnesses who shall subscribe their names on the paper as witnesses to the signing.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-26 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-26
§ 17-15-26. Challenge of identity as to right to vote.
Status: in_force

Whenever the identity of any person offering to vote is challenged at the polling place, that person shall be permitted to vote only by using a provisional ballot as defined in § 17-19-24.1.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-29 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-29
§ 17-25-29. Appropriations.
Status: in_force

In the event the funds generated by the tax credit of § 44-30-2(d) fail to produce sufficient money to meet the requirements of the public financing of the electoral system as set forth in §§ 17-25-19  17-25-27, then funds sufficient to meet the levels of the public financing as set forth in this chapter shall be supplied from the general fund of the state treasury. There is appropriated from the general treasury those sums that may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of the public financing of the electoral system, and an amount equal to the total of all maximum amounts of matching public funds available to all party and independent candidates for general office qualifying and electing to receive public funds in an election shall be transferred to the board of elections no later than September 1 of each election year and deposited in a manner that will secure the highest rate of interest available consistent with the safety of the sums and with the requirement that all sums on deposit be available for immediate payment to eligible candidates at any time after the date of the primary election. The state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for transfer of all sums the board deems necessary to comply with this section. There shall also be transferred to the board any additional sums that may be required until the permitted limits are reached. The board shall account for all funds disbursed pursuant to this chapter and transfer upon the conclusion of any election for general office any and all undisbursed sums to the general treasurer for deposit in the general fund by December 1 in any year in which the election is held.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-23-11 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-23 / Section 17-23-11
§ 17-23-11. Limitation of prosecutions  Payment to complainant.
Status: in_force

All prosecutions for offenses against the provisions of this chapter shall commence within one year after the offenses have been committed, and not afterwards. And upon the presentation of a certificate of the clerk of any court of the final conviction in the court of any person under the provisions of this chapter, the state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her order on the general treasurer for the sum of fifty dollars ($50), and deliver the sum to the person complainant in the prosecution.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-9 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-9
§ 17-25-9. Designation of campaign treasurer of political party committees  Filings.
Status: in_force

(a) Each state and municipal committee of a political party shall, on or before January 31 of each year, designate a campaign treasurer and shall file the name and address of that person with the board of elections.

(b) A campaign treasurer of the state or municipal committee of a political party may appoint deputy campaign treasurers as may be required. The committees shall file the names and addresses of the deputy campaign treasurers with the board of elections.

(c) Any state or municipal committee of a political party may remove at any time its campaign treasurer. In the case of the death, resignation, or removal of its campaign treasurer, any committee shall appoint a successor as soon as practicable and file his or her name and address with the board of elections within ten (10) days.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-14-15 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-14 / Section 17-14-15
§ 17-14-15. Withdrawal of candidacy.
Status: in_force

A person nominated as a candidate to be voted for at a primary or an independent candidate may withdraw his or her name from the nomination prior to the date of primary by a request signed and duly acknowledged by him or her setting forth the reason for the withdrawal, that the withdrawal is the candidates own free act and deed, and that it is not executed as the result of any threat or promise made to the candidate. The certificate of withdrawal shall be filed in the office where the nomination papers were filed within the time prescribed by § 17-14-13 for filing objections to nomination papers; provided, that if an objection has been filed, the certificate need not be filed until twenty-four (24) hours following the decision of the state board, or of the local board, relative to the objection.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-14.2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-14.2
§ 17-20-14.2. Voting from board of canvassers.
Status: in_force

The local board of canvassers shall appoint as many supervisors as are necessary whose duty it shall be to supervise the casting of votes by persons using mail ballots at a place that preserves their secrecy and to take acknowledgments, and jointly provide assistance, if requested, to assure proper marking, sealing, and mailing of ballots as voted. Every certifying envelope containing a mail ballot cast at a board of canvassers must have the signature of the elector. The certifying envelope of any mail ballot voted at the local board of canvassers shall be stamped by the local board to indicate it was voted on in conformance with the law. Every person who willfully hinders the local supervisors in performing their duties as set forth in this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-10-22 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-10 / Section 17-10-22
§ 17-10-22. Certified copies of lists of persons voting.
Status: in_force

Every clerk of a local board, upon payment or tender of his or her legal fees, shall furnish to any one demanding it a certified copy of any list of voters whose votes have been given in any election.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-33 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-33
§ 17-19-33. Sealing of voting equipment  Sealing and forwarding of results, programmed memory devices and keys.
Status: in_force

(a) The copies of the printout tape from the optical-scan precinct-count unit obtained pursuant to § 17-19-32 shall be distributed as follows:

(1) The first copy, which includes the opening of the polling place information, signatures of the warden and clerk, a timed audit trail of certain events occurring with respect to the optical-scan precinct-count system, and the vote totals for each candidate, shall be attached to the return sheet as provided in § 17-19-11 and immediately delivered to the local board of canvassers where it is processed and delivered to the state board of elections through a procedure promulgated by the state board;

(2) A copy shall be made available to the public at the polling place;

(3) A copy shall be immediately delivered to the local board of canvassers attached to the return sheet as provided in § 17-19-11, together with the polling place supplies, including the key to the optical-scan precinct-count unit and other voting equipment and containers; and

(4) A copy shall be included with the voted ballots and packaged pursuant to this chapter.

(5) The certified paper or electronic voter list containing voters signatures shall be secured separately and returned to the local board of canvassers.

(6) All completed official affidavits, forms, reports, and supplies shall be packaged and delivered to the local board for subsequent delivery to the state board.

(b) The warden shall:

(1) Remove all voted ballots from the compartment of the optical-scan precinct-count unit and package them in the container provided and labeled as voted ballots and stored pursuant to § 17-19-39.1;

(2) [Deleted by P.L. 2016, ch. 174, § 1 and P.L. 2016, ch. 190, § 1.]

(3) Package all ballots from the emergency bin that have not been counted in the container provided and labeled as manual-count ballots and deliver to the local canvassing authority. Any ballots packaged and labeled as manual-count ballots shall remain sealed and delivered to the state board through a procedure promulgated by the state board.

(c) All ballots so packaged shall be immediately delivered to the local canvassing authority.

(d) [Deleted by P.L. 2016, ch. 174, § 1 and P.L. 2016, ch. 190, § 1.]
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-10-18 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-10 / Section 17-10-18
§ 17-10-18. Temporary registration certificates.
Status: in_force

Temporary registration certificates may be issued by a local board upon proof by any qualified voter that the voters registration card has been erroneously removed from the voting list. The temporary certificates shall be issued under the conditions and in the manner prescribed in chapter 19 of this title.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-6-12 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-6 / Section 17-6-12
§ 17-6-12. Form of lists.
Status: in_force

The lists may be distributed as requested in the form of either printed lists or magnetic tapes.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-6-1.2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-6 / Section 17-6-1.2
§ 17-6-1.2. Statewide central voter register.
Status: in_force

(a) Given the development of the necessary technology and the potential availability of federal funds, the secretary of state shall procure a statewide central voter register in accordance with all relevant state purchasing requirements. The system shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) A statewide database maintained by the secretary of state;

(2) All necessary hardware and software for the thirty-nine (39) local boards of canvassers to maintain their local voter registration records;

(3) All necessary hardware and software necessary for the electronic integration of voter registration records from the division of motor vehicles;

(4) All necessary hardware and software for the electronic integration of voter registration records from certain agencies processing voter registrations in accordance with § 17-9.1-8 where the secretary of state finds that the number of registrations processed warrants the electronic integration; and

(5) Additional terminals for access to the voter files as determined by the secretary of state.

(b) Local boards of canvassers will have the responsibility and sole authority for any addition, correction, or deletion of information from their local voting records. The office of the secretary of state, or the designee of the secretary of state, shall provide training and technical support for all local boards of canvassers in the operation and maintenance of their local voter registration system.

(c) The format and structure of the database shall be developed by the office of the secretary of state in conjunction with the vendor to whom the contract is awarded.

(d) Funding for the procurement of the statewide central voter register shall be through federal funds appropriated to the state of Rhode Island, subject to appropriation by the general assembly, pursuant to election reform legislation adopted by the United States Congress in 2002.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-14-7 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-14 / Section 17-14-7
§ 17-14-7. Number of signers required for nomination papers.
Status: in_force

(a) United States senator or governor. The nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination or an independent candidate for presidential elector, United States senator, or governor shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least one thousand (1,000) voters. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the 2020 election only, the nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination or an independent candidate for United States senator shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least five hundred (500) voters.

(b) Representative in Congress. The nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination or an independent candidate for representative in Congress shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least five hundred (500) voters. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the 2020 election only, the nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination or an independent candidate for representative in Congress shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least two hundred fifty (250) voters.

(c) General state offices. The nomination papers of a candidate for the party nomination or an independent candidate for any of the general offices of the state, excluding governor, shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least five hundred (500) voters.

(d) State senator. The nomination papers of a candidate for a party nomination or independent candidate for senator in any senatorial district shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least one hundred (100) voters of the senatorial district.

(e) State representative. The nomination papers of a candidate for party nomination or an independent candidate for a member of the house of representatives from any representative district shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least fifty (50) voters of the representative district.

(f) City offices. The nomination papers of a candidate for party nomination or an independent candidate for any local office to be filled by the voters of any city at large shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least two hundred (200) voters of the city, provided that in the city of Newport, for at-large candidates or candidates for school committee, at least one hundred (100) signatures shall be required; provided, further, that in the city of Woonsocket, for candidates for citywide nonpartisan office, including city council, mayor, and candidates for school committee, if elected, at least one hundred (100) signatures shall be required; and provided, further that in the city of Providence, at least five hundred (500) signatures shall be required.

(g) Voting district moderator or clerk. The nomination papers for a candidate for voting district moderator or clerk in any town shall be signed, in the aggregate, by at least ten (10) voters of the voting district.

(h) Other offices. The nomination papers of a candidate for party nomination for other offices covered by § 17-15-7, or for the election of delegates or for unendorsed party committee candidates, shall be signed, in the aggregate, by fifty (50) voters.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-8 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-8
§ 17-19-8. Ballots  Form.
Status: in_force

All ballots provided under this chapter shall be printed in black ink on clear, white material in plain, clear type. Upon the ballot for questions, the statement of the question may be abbreviated to meet the requirements of the space provided, and shall be printed in type that can be easily read, with the words yes or no or approved and reject, whichever may be required for the voter to indicate the voters vote for or against any question.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-7-2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-7 / Section 17-7-2
§ 17-7-2. Composition of board.
Status: in_force

There shall be, independent of every other department and agency of this state, a board of elections consisting of seven (7) qualified electors of this state, of outstanding honesty and ability and none of whom shall hold any other public office or be employees of persons who hold state wide public office, but no person shall be disqualified solely because that person is a notary public, who shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, as provided in this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-34 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-34
§ 17-19-34. Declaration of results and certificates of election in towns not divided into districts.
Status: in_force

When optical scan precinct count units are used in town elections in towns not divided into voting districts, the warden, after announcing the votes registered by the optical scan precinct count units for the candidates for town offices, and upon questions submitted to the voters of the town, and signing the record of the votes in the record book, shall declare the result of the town election, and certificates shall be issued to the officers declared elected.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-23 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-23
§ 17-19-23. Wardens and supervisors  Powers and duties.
Status: in_force

The wardens shall:

(1) Have general supervision of the voting place;

(2) [Deleted by P.L. 2016, ch. 341, § 1 and P.L. 2016, ch. 364, § 1.]

(3) Assign and reassign and relieve the bipartisan pairs of supervisors, as the efficient conduct of the election may require;

(4) Access the voting list and set it before the bipartisan pairs, if it has not been divided in sections, or set each section before a bipartisan pair where it has been divided in sections, immediately preceding the opening of the polls;

(5) [Deleted by P.L. 2016, ch. 341, § 1 and P.L. 2016, ch. 364, § 1.]

(6) Be vigilant and responsible to prevent any voter from voting more than once;

(7) Cause to be established a single line of persons desiring to vote and enlist the assistance of the supervisors and the police in attendance to maintain that line;

(8) As far as consistent with their other duties, station themselves at the entrance to the polling area and prevent any person from entering the designated voting area, except under the authority of this chapter, and prevent any person from entering that area for the purpose of voting until that persons name has been announced and that persons identity certified according to law by the supervisors in charge of the voting list, and shall prevent any voter from departing the enclosed space while in possession of his or her computer ballot. A notice shall be provided by the state board and posted in a conspicuous place advising that it is a felony for a voter to leave the enclosed area while in possession of his or her ballot. The voter has the option of casting his or her ballot or surrendering the ballot to the warden whereby it will be marked void;

(9) Cause to be removed or arrested any person or official who commits a violation of the election law in their presence or disturbs the conduct of the voting; provided, that they shall not cause any removal or arrest without the approval of the election inspector, unless the clerk agrees with the wardens that the person or official should be arrested or removed;

(10) Have the power to administer oaths as required by this title, and to attest the oaths by signature in proof of the administration of the oaths.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-37.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-37.1
§ 17-19-37.1. Recount eligibility  Candidates for public office.
Status: in_force

A candidate for election or nomination for election to public office shall be eligible to request a recount of the votes cast in his or her race pursuant to the following:

(1) In those races in which a single candidate is elected a candidate who trails the winning candidate may request a recount of the votes cast at each precinct by a manual re-feeding of the computer ballots cast in said race into the optical scan voting equipment provided that the candidate shall trail the winning candidate by less than the following number of votes:

(a) In those races where the number of votes cast is less than or equal to twenty thousand (20,000) the candidate requesting the recount shall trail the winning candidate by two percent (2%) or two hundred (200) votes, whichever is less; in those races where the number of votes cast is between twenty thousand one (20,001) and one hundred thousand (100,000) the candidate requesting the recount shall trail the winning candidate by one percent (1%) or five hundred (500) votes, whichever is less; and, in those races where more than one hundred thousand (100,000) votes are cast the candidate requesting the recount shall trail the winning candidate by one-half of one percent (Â½%) or one thousand five hundred (1,500) votes, whichever is less.

(b) For the purpose of determining recount eligibility, as prescribed in subsections (1)(a) and (3) of this section, the number of votes cast in a race shall include the votes cast for candidates and irregular ballots cast pursuant to § 17-19-31.

(2) In those races in which more than one candidate is elected a candidate who trails the winning candidate may request a recount of the votes cast at each precinct by a manual re-feeding of the computer ballots cast in said race into the optical scan voting equipment provided that the candidate shall trail the winning candidate by less than the following number of votes:

(a) In those races where the number of votes cast is less than or equal to five thousand (5,000) the candidate requesting the recount shall trail the winning candidate by two percent (2%) or fifty (50) votes, whichever is less; in those races where the number of votes cast is between five thousand one (5,001) and twenty thousand (20,000) the candidate requesting the recount shall trail the winning candidate by one percent (1%) or one hundred (100) votes, whichever is less; and in those races where more than twenty thousand (20,000) votes are cast the candidate requesting the recount shall trail the winning candidate by one-half of one percent (Â½%) or one hundred fifty (150) votes, whichever is less.

(b) For the purpose of determining recount eligibility, as prescribed in subsections (2)(a) and (3) of this section, the total number of votes cast in a race shall be determined by dividing the total number of votes eligible to be cast in the race by the number of candidates for whom each voter was eligible to cast votes.

(3) Notwithstanding the requirements of subsections (1)(a) and (2)(a) of this section, a candidate who trails the winning candidate by five percent (5%) or less, but more than the minimum percentage or number of votes as required in subsections (1)(a) or (2)(a) of this section, as applicable, may petition the state board to conduct a recount of the votes cast at each precinct by re-reading the programmed memory device or devices and comparing the results and totals obtained at such recount with the results and totals obtained on election night. If, after said recount, a candidate shall trail the winning candidate by less than the number of votes prescribed in subsection (1)(a) or (2)(a) of this section, as the case may be, the candidate may request a recount of the votes cast at each precinct to subsection (1)(a) or (2)(a) of this section, as is applicable.

The state board shall have the authority to adopt rules and regulations to implement and administer the provisions of this section.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-29-3 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-29 / Section 17-29-3
§ 17-29-3. Voter choice study commission  Established  Definitions.
Status: in_force

(a) The voter choice study commission is hereby established for the purpose of studying instant runoff voting and other advanced voting methods.

(b) As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, Advanced voting method means a voting method that allows an elector to indicate a preference for more than one candidate in an election and that determines the winner of the election by majority vote. Advanced voting method includes, but is not limited to, instant runoff voting, approval voting, range voting, and proportional voting.

(c) The voter choice study commission shall consist of sixteen (16) members selected as follows:

(1) Eight (8) members to be appointed by the speaker of the house, no more than five (5) of whom shall be from the same political party, and at least three (3) of whom shall be the clerk of a city or town of this state;

(2) Eight (8) members to be appointed by the president of the senate, no more than five (5) of whom shall be from the same political party, at least three (3) of whom shall be the clerk of a city or town of this state; and

(3) Provided, that all members of the study commission shall be registered voters of this state at the time of their selection and at all times while they remain on said study group.

(d) Members of the voter choice study group shall be appointed no later than August 1, 2012.

(e) The voter choice study commission shall:

(1) Study advanced voting methods;

(2) Analyze the requirements for implementing advanced voting methods, including public education, voting equipment and technology, ballot designs, the costs of conducting the pilot project established by this chapter and using advanced voting methods in elections for state and federal offices, and savings due to the elimination of primary elections;

(3) Determine the level of public support for a change in voting methods;

(4) Review the experience of other states in conducting elections using advanced voting methods;

(5) Recommend statutory changes to implement advanced voting methods in elections for state and federal offices to be held in the state in 2014;

(6) Make recommendations on making all voting systems used in the state compatible with advanced voting methods by 2014, including a review of the availability and costs of necessary voting equipment;

(7) Make recommendations to the governing bodies and designated election officials of political subdivisions of the state on preparing to conduct an election using an advanced voting methods; and

(8) Consider changes to the states statutes governing access to the ballot for presidential candidates.

(f) The voter choice study commission shall present a report on its work to the general assembly, the governor, and the secretary of state no later than November 1, 2013.

(g) The director of research of the legislative council and the director of the office of legislative legal services shall provide staff assistance to the voter choice study commission.

(h) The members of the voter choice study commission shall serve without compensation; except that the members shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-18_17-20-18 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-18_17-20-18
§ 17-20-18. Instructions on ballot. [Effective until June 10, 2025.]17-20-18. Instructions on ballot. [Effective June 10, 2025.]
Status: in_force

The secretary of state may, if the secretary deems necessary, cause to be printed at the head of the ballot brief instructions for voting and the use of the ballot. The mail ballots shall, in addition to the official endorsement provided by law, bear the words: Mail voters.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-23-4 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-23 / Section 17-23-4
§ 17-23-4. Fraudulent or repeat voting.
Status: in_force

Every person who, in any election, fraudulently votes or attempts to vote, not being qualified, notwithstanding that persons name may be on the voting list at the polling place where the person votes or attempts to vote; or who votes or attempts to vote in the name of some other person, whether that name is that of a person living or dead, or of a fictitious person; or having voted in one town, ward, senatorial district, representative district, or voting district, whether the persons vote in that case was legal or not, votes or attempts to vote in the same or in another town, ward, senatorial district, representative district, or voting district; or who fraudulently votes or attempts to vote in a town, ward, senatorial district, representative district, or voting district other than in the town, ward, senatorial district, representative district, or voting district in which the person has his or her residence, as defined in § 17-1-3.1, at the time of his or her voting or attempting to vote; or who aids, counsels, or procures any other person to so vote or attempt to vote, shall be guilty of a felony, and no person after conviction of this offense, shall be permitted to vote in any election or upon any proposition pending before the people, or to hold any public office. Voting, for the purposes of this chapter, shall consist in the casting of a vote, or attempting to cast a vote, whether or not the vote has been cast.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-30-1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-30 / Section 17-30-1
§ 17-30-1. Deceptive synthetic media.
Status: in_force

(a) For purposes of this chapter, candidate means and includes an incumbent or current office holder.

(b) For purposes of this chapter, synthetic media means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individuals appearance, speech, or conduct that has been intentionally manipulated with the use of generative adversarial network techniques or other digital technology to create a realistic but false image, audio, or video that produces:

(1) A depiction that, to a reasonable individual, appears to be a real individual in terms of appearance, action, or speech, but that did not occur in reality; and

(2) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.

(c) A candidate, authorized candidate campaign committee, political action committee, political party committee, or person or entity making an independent expenditure as defined in § 17-25-3 shall not, within ninety (90) days of any election at which a candidate for elective office will appear on a ballot, distribute synthetic media that the candidate, authorized candidate campaign committee, political action committee, political party committee, or person or entity making an independent expenditure as defined in § 17-25-3 knows or should know is deceptive and fraudulent synthetic media, as defined in subsection (b) of this section.

(d)(1) The prohibition in subsection (c) of this section does not apply if the image, audio recording, or video recording includes a disclosure stating that the image has been manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence.

(2) For visual media, the text of the disclosure shall appear in a size that is easily readable by the average viewer, and no smaller than the largest font size of any other text appearing in the visual media. If the visual media does not include any other text, the disclosure shall appear in a size that is easily readable by the average viewer. For visual media that is a video, the disclosure shall appear for the duration of the video.

(3) If the media consists of audio only, and no visual disclosure is feasible, the disclosure shall be read in a clearly spoken manner, and in a speed and pitch that can be easily heard by the average listener, at the beginning of the audio, at the end of the audio, and, if the audio is greater than two (2) minutes in length, interspersed within the audio at intervals of not greater than two (2) minutes.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-34 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-34
§ 17-15-34. Recount petition or other protest.
Status: in_force

Any candidate whose name was on the primary ballot may file with the state board a request for the recounting of the votes cast, or other protest concerning the primary, provided he or she files the request or protest no later than four oclock (4:00) p.m. on the day following the primary. The request or protest shall contain the candidates reason for making the request or protest. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the state board, acting on its own motion, from ordering a recount or taking appropriate action in response to any error, irregularity, or impropriety in the conduct of any facet of the primary which comes to its attention at any time prior to the certification of the results of the primary.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-29-2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-29 / Section 17-29-2
§ 17-29-2. Legislative declaration.
Status: in_force

(a) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:

(1) Majority rule is a fundamental principle of representative democracy, and the states election laws should uphold and facilitate this principle.

(2) In an election where more than two (2) candidates are running for an office, the candidate who receives a plurality of the votes may actually be opposed by the majority of voters.

(3) The states current voting method limits voters choices and contributes to lower voter participation.

(4) It is in the public interest to examine Rhode Islands voting method and consider comprehensive reforms that would expand the choices realistically available to voters, increase participation, address the concerns of the major political parties, save money, and increase accountability.

(b) The general assembly further finds and declares that instant runoff voting and other advanced voting methods have the potential to:

(1) Expand the range of choices available to voters by allowing them to vote for candidates of minor political parties or unaffiliated candidates without fear of giving an advantage to the candidate they least prefer;

(2) Reduce both election administration costs and campaign expenditures by combining primary and general elections; and

(3) Promote campaigns that are more positive and focused on issues because candidates will seek to appeal to opponents supporters as a second choice.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-6-4 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-6 / Section 17-6-4
§ 17-6-4. Absentee, shut-in, and war ballots.
Status: in_force

The secretary of state shall prepare, print, and furnish all application forms for absentee, shut-in, and war ballots. The secretary of state shall arrange, print, and distribute all these ballots, together with instruction sheets and the required envelopes, in accordance with the requirements of this title.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-11 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-11
§ 17-15-11. Dispensation with primary when no contest.
Status: in_force

Whenever there is no contest within any voting district for the officers to be nominated or elected by a particular political party for any election, no primary election shall be held in that voting district and the secretary of state for state offices or the local boards for local offices shall declare those persons elected in the case of party committee members or delegates or nominated as candidates of a particular party for the office, and their names shall not be printed on the primary ballot but shall be printed on the ballot for the election for which the nominations are made; provided, that the party committee members names and the names of the delegates to the state convention of the respective party shall not be put on the election ballot.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-19 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-19
§ 17-25-19. Public financing of election campaigns  Outlined.
Status: in_force

(a) To effectuate the purpose stated in § 17-25-18, public funds shall be made available under the terms and conditions of this section and §§ 17-25-20  17-25-27 to qualifying candidates for general office and primary elections who agree to abide by a limitation on the total amount of campaign contributions received and expenditures made for election purposes.

(b) Candidates for general office and primary elections shall be eligible to receive two dollars ($2.00) of public funds for each qualified dollar ($1.00) of private funds contributed which do not exceed an aggregate of five hundred dollars ($500) from a single source within an election cycle and one dollar ($1.00) of public funds for each qualified dollar ($1.00) of private funds contributed which exceed an aggregate of five hundred dollars ($500) from a single source within an election cycle but do not exceed the limitations on aggregate contributions which are eligible to be matched set in § 17-25-20(3), subject to the provisions of § 17-25-20(2). The total amount of public funds provided to a candidate shall not exceed seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) in matching funds for a total of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) for candidates for governor; and one hundred eighty-seven thousand five hundred dollars ($187,500) in matching funds for a total of three hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($375,000) for candidates for other general offices.

(c) In order to be eligible for matching public funds, each candidate at the time he or she becomes a candidate, as defined in § 17-25-3(3), but no later than 4:00 pm on the last day for filing declarations of candidacy for general office, must sign a statement under oath pledging to comply with the limitations on campaign contributions and expenditures and with all of the terms and conditions set forth in this chapter. Any candidate who fails to file the statement with his or her declaration for office shall be ineligible to receive public funds.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-21 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-21
§ 17-15-21. Identification of party voters.
Status: in_force

Before permitting any person to vote in a primary election, the warden or clerk and bipartisan pair of supervisors assigned by the warden shall ascertain from the voting record appearing on the certified voting list that the voter is not disqualified to vote by the provisions of § 17-15-24. The bipartisan pair of supervisors shall provide the voter with the corresponding computer ballot for the primary election in which the voter is eligible and desiring to vote. The warden shall take any steps that may be necessary to assure that each voter is given the computer ballot upon which the voter is eligible to vote. Any person who is not affiliated with any political party, and is otherwise qualified to vote, may participate in a primary election of either party.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-1-3.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-1 / Section 17-1-3.1
§ 17-1-3.1. Residence for voting purposes.
Status: in_force

(a) A persons residence for voting purposes is his or her fixed and established domicile. The determinant of ones domicile is that persons factual physical presence in the voting district on a regular basis incorporating an intention to reside for an indefinite period. This domicile is the place to which, upon temporary absence, he or she has the intention of returning. Once acquired, this domicile continues until another domicile is established. A person can have only one domicile, and the domicile shall not be considered lost solely by reason of absence for any of the following reasons:

(1) Employment or service outside of the state intimately connected with military operations or with the federal government, including the spouse and dependents of an elector so employed;

(2) Confinement in a correctional facility;

(3) Being a patient in a hospital, convalescent home, nursing home or rest home, or like facility; or

(4) Attendance as a student at an academic institution, including the spouse and dependents of an elector who is a student.

(b) The following shall be considered prima facie evidence of a persons residence for voting purposes:

(1) The address furnished to the division of motor vehicles for the voters operators license;

(2) The address from which the voters motor vehicle is registered;

(3) The address from which the voter filed his last federal income tax return;

(4) The address from which the voter filed his last state income tax return;

(5) The address furnished to the companies from which the voter has obtained retail credit cards;

(6) The address furnished to the financial institutions where the voter maintains accounts;

(7) The address furnished to the tax collector and/or assessor in those communities where the voter owns taxable real or personal property for the purpose of notification to him or her;

(8) The address furnished to the insurance companies with which the voter maintains policies;

(9) The address furnished to the voters employer;

(10) The address furnished by the voter to any business, professional, union, or fraternal organizations of which he or she is a member;

(11) The address furnished to governmental agencies with which the voter has contact;

(12) The address of a hospital, convalescent home, nursing home or rest home, or like facility at which the voter has been a patient or resident for the preceding thirty (30) days or longer;

(13) The address furnished to the United States postal service on a change of address form as verified by the United States postal service.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-30 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-30
§ 17-25-30. Public financing of election campaigns  Compliance benefits.
Status: in_force

Any candidate eligible to receive public funds who complies in full with eligibility criteria for receipt of the funds shall be:

(1) Entitled to an additional benefit of free time on community antenna television to be allocated pursuant to rules determined by the administrator for the division of public utilities. During all allocated free time, the candidate shall personally appear and present the message of the advertisement; provided, however, the content of all television time shall include captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing and the content of all radio time must be available in a written or text format at the time of request; and

(2) Entitled to an additional benefit of free time on any public broadcasting station operating under the jurisdiction of the Rhode Island PBS foundation pursuant to rules determined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). During all allocated free time, the candidate shall personally appear and personally present the message of the advertisement; provided, however, the content of all television time shall include captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing and the content of all radio time must be available in a written or text format at the time of request.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-54 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-54
§ 17-19-54. Bilingual voting material requirements.
Status: in_force

(a) Pursuant to Section 203 of the Federal Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973aa-la, a city or town shall be subject to the provisions of the bilingual voting materials requirement whenever the Director of the Census determines, based on census data, that:

(1) More than five percent (5%) of the citizens of voting age of a city or town are members of a single language minority and are limited-English proficient; or

(2)(i) More than ten thousand (10,000) of the citizens of voting age of a city or town are members of a single language minority and are limited-English proficient; and

(ii) The illiteracy rate of the citizens in the language minority as a group is higher than the national illiteracy rate.

(b) Whenever a city or town subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section provides any registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots, it shall provide them in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in the English language.

(c) Whenever the state provides any registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots, to a city or town subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, it shall provide them in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in the English language.

(d) The provisions of this section shall apply to all ballots issued or required under the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-16 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-16
§ 17-20-16. Time of casting vote.
Status: in_force

Mail ballots may be cast in the manner provided by law on or before election day; provided, that no mail ballot shall be counted unless it is received by the state board not later than the time prescribed by § 17-18-11 for the closing of polling places on election day, except ballots cast under the provisions of § 17-20-6.1, which shall be counted if received by the state board by four oclock p.m. (4:00) on the third day following a primary or four oclock p.m. (4:00) on the seventh day following an election.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-18-13 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-18 / Section 17-18-13
§ 17-18-13. Reopening of town elective meetings  Certificates.
Status: in_force

If, in any case in a town not divided into voting districts, there is no election of the town officers voted for who are required to be elected by the people, or of any of them, the polls may be reopened and proceedings shall be had until an election takes place. In those towns, after the declaration of the result of the voting for town officers, the town clerks shall give certificates of their election to the persons elected town officers.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-3-1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-3 / Section 17-3-1
§ 17-3-1. Time of election  Term of office.
Status: in_force

Senators and representatives in the general assembly shall be elected biennially, at general elections, in each senatorial and representative district in accordance with the provisions of this title; and shall hold their respective offices for two (2) years beginning on the first Tuesday of January, next succeeding their election, and until the election and qualification of their respective successors.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-29 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-29
§ 17-15-29. Number of votes required to nominate or elect.
Status: in_force

In determining the nomination or election of a candidate at a primary election, the person receiving the largest number of votes, although less than a majority of all the votes cast for the candidates for a particular office, shall be declared nominated or elected. Where there is more than one person to be elected to a particular office or place, those persons equaling that number of officers to be elected to the office or place receiving the largest number of votes, although less than a majority of all the votes cast for all the candidates for the office or place, shall be declared nominated or elected, as the case may be, unless otherwise provided by existing law.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-6-1.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-6 / Section 17-6-1.1
§ 17-6-1.1. Central voter register.
Status: in_force

In addition to any other powers and duties given to the secretary by this title, the secretary of state is authorized to issue rules and regulations relative to the central voter register, and local boards of canvassers are hereby directed to comply with reasonable requests by the secretary of state for information to accurately maintain the central voter register.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-4-8 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-4 / Section 17-4-8
§ 17-4-8. Special election to fill vacancy in office of representative.
Status: in_force

Whenever any person elected a representative in congress from either district, at any time between the day of his or her election and the beginning of his or her term of office, refuses to serve and so declares to the secretary of state, or dies, becomes insane, removes from the state, or is otherwise incapacitated, or whenever a vacancy happens in the representation of this state in congress as contemplated in the second section of the first article of the Constitution of the United States, the governor shall immediately issue his or her writ of election directed to the several city and town clerks, or local boards as the case may be, ordering a new election of the representative in congress to be held in that district to fill the vacancy, at as early a date, to be stated in the writ, as will be in compliance with the provisions of law in relation to these elections, but no election provided for by this section shall be held on any day other than the first Tuesday next after the first Monday of any month; provided, that whenever a vacancy occurs between the first day of April and the first day of October in any even-numbered year, the governor shall, unless in his or her opinion the public good requires an earlier special election, issue his or her writ for a special election to fill the vacancy to be held with the general election on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November of that year.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-51 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-51
§ 17-19-51. Priority for elderly voters.
Status: in_force

At each polling place, one voting booth shall be designated for priority use by electors over sixty-five (65) years of age. These electors, once they have complied with the requirements of § 17-19-24, shall, upon request, be permitted to vote immediately in the designated voting booth. Other voters below the age of sixty-five (65) years may use the designated voting booth when there are no voters above that age waiting to vote.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-24.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-24.1
§ 17-20-24.1. Irregularities in obtaining and casting mail ballots.
Status: in_force

The requirements set forth by this chapter controlling mail ballot eligibility and the procedure by which mail ballots are obtained and cast shall be strictly applied to assure the integrity of the electoral system. No mail ballot which was not obtained and/or cast in material conformance with the provisions of this title shall be certified by the board of elections. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require the disqualification of a ballot merely because the elector did not sign the electors full name as it is listed on the voter registration list, but omitted or included a middle initial or name, abbreviated a first and/or middle name, or made a similar omission or inclusion, as long as the board of elections can reasonably determine the identity of the voter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-24-3 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-24 / Section 17-24-3
§ 17-24-3. Powers of court appointee  Hindering performance.
Status: in_force

The person appointed by the court, as provided in § 17-24-1, shall be deemed an officer of the court and shall have full and free access to all records and papers necessary to enable him or her to perform the duties devolved upon him or her by the court, and any person interfering with or in any way hindering his or her discharge of his or her duties shall be liable to those penalties that may be prescribed by the court for contempt, and it shall be the duty of the sheriffs of the several counties and their deputies to see that the provisions of this chapter are enforced within their respective counties.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-23.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-23.1
§ 17-19-23.1. Certification and appointment of election officials.
Status: in_force

(a) All persons who attend and complete a program of instruction for election officials under § 17-7-5(a)(6) shall be issued a certificate by the board of elections. In addition to the compensation to which they are otherwise entitled, these persons shall also be entitled to receive the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) upon the performance of their duties on election day. The certificate shall be valid for a period of one year; provided, that the certificate shall be revocable at the discretion of the board of elections if the board believes that new developments have occurred requiring the re-certification of these persons.

(b) Election officials shall, whenever practicable, be appointed from lists of certificated persons.

(c) The board of elections shall have the authority to adopt rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-3-8 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-3 / Section 17-3-8
§ 17-3-8. Failure to issue warrant for election.
Status: in_force

Every member of a local board who neglects to seasonably issue his or her warrant as provided in this chapter shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-18-9 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-18 / Section 17-18-9
§ 17-18-9. District meetings open whole day.
Status: in_force

In the election of general officers, representatives in congress, and electors of president and vice-president of the United States, and of city officers of all cities, and in the election of senators and representatives in the general assembly, the town, ward, senatorial and representative district, and voting district meetings of the several cities and towns, shall be kept open for voting during the whole time of voting for the day.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-34 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-34
§ 17-20-34. Liberal construction.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be construed liberally to effect the purposes of maintaining the integrity and the secrecy of the mail ballot by assuring that only electors eligible to vote by mail ballot are allowed to utilize that method of voting, by assuring that the procedures set forth in this chapter controlling the application and balloting processes are strictly enforced, and by safeguarding the mail ballot voter from harassment, intimidation, and invasion of privacy.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-5-1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-5 / Section 17-5-1
§ 17-5-1. Referenda elections  Constitutional and public questions.
Status: in_force

Any proposition of amendment of the Constitution or any public question of statewide impact submitted to the electors of this state at a general election pursuant to § 17-1-2(2) held subsequent to 1997 shall be held in conformity with this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-4-2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-4 / Section 17-4-2
§ 17-4-2. Territory in first and second congressional districts.
Status: in_force

(1) It is understood and intended that for the purpose of this section a line described as running on, on, to or through any street (including road, avenue, lane, way, parkway, expressway, divided Highway, state route or interstate route, or trail), stream or river, is intended to mean the centerline of that street, stream or river, and a line described as the shoreline is intended to mean the line on the mean low water level, and a feature extension is intended to mean the imaginary straight-line extension from the end of a map feature, usually a street or road, to another feature as for example, from the end of a dead-end street to a nearby river, in all instances, unless the same shall be otherwise specified.

(2) It is further understood and intended that for the purpose of this section, the districts described in this section shall be composed of United States census geography (tracts and blocks), as defined by the 2020 version of the TIGER files from the United States Census Bureau, whose boundaries correspond to the below metes and bounds set forth in this section and hereby made a part of this chapter. A listing of which census blocks are contained within each district shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference.

(3)(i) It is further understood and intended that for the purpose of this section, the districts will be depicted on thirty-nine (39) maps known as Congress Plan B, compiled by Election Data Services, Inc. for each city and town, and hereinafter may be referred to as town maps.

(ii) The secretary of state shall keep a copy of each set of the foregoing maps and a copy of the census tract and block listing available for inspection during ordinary business hours at his or her office. The secretary of state shall furnish each city and town a copy of the town map covering that particular city or town within ten (10) days from the date of passage of this act.

(iii) For purposes of this title, references to tract or CT shall mean census tract, as that demographic unit is established by the United States Bureau of the census for the 2020 census as described by maps and publications of the bureau. References to block, blocks, or block groups, refer to those demographic units as established by the United States Census Bureau for the 2020 census as described by maps and publications of the bureau.

(iv) Any reference to a city or town, city or town boundaries, or city or town limits shall refer to the boundaries or limits of the particular city or town as defined by the 2020 version of the TIGER files from the United States Census Bureau.

(v) In the census tract and block listing, the first two (2) digits of a census description shall refer to the State of Rhode Island (44), the next three (3) digits of a census description shall refer to the county in which the district lies. Bristol county carries the code 001; Kent county carries the code 003; Newport county carries the code 005; Providence county carries the code 007 and Washington county carries the code 009. The next six (6) digits refer to the census tract within the county set forth in the description. The last four (4) digits refer to the census block within the census tract. TIGER is an acronym for the computer readable geographic data base that automates the mapping and related geographic activities required to support the United States Census Bureaus census and survey programs and stands for Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing.

(vi) If any census tract, block, block group, or enumeration district is omitted, listed more than once, or is only partially provided for, it is intended that the districts be defined in such a manner as to not omit any area of Rhode Island from a district and to comply with the standard of Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution requiring that districts be reasonably equal. In order to carry out the intent of the general assembly as expressed in this section the secretary of state shall, if necessary, undertake measures to insure compliance with this section.

(vii) In the event of a discrepancy between the metes and bounds description, the description by census tracts and blocks, and the maps which shall be on file with the secretary of state, then the listing of census tracts and blocks shall take precedence and be controlling.

First district: The first congressional district shall consist of all of the towns of: North Smithfield; Smithfield; Lincoln; Cumberland; North Providence; Barrington; Warren; Bristol; Portsmouth; Tiverton; Little Compton; Middletown; and Jamestown and the cities of: Woonsocket; Central Falls; Pawtucket; East Providence; and Newport.

The first congressional district shall also consist of all of the part of the city of Providence bounded by a line beginning at the Providence  North Providence boundary line and State Route 146; thence southerly on State Route 146 to Branch Ave; thence westerly on Branch Ave to Moy St; thence southerly on Moy St to Concannon St; thence westerly on Concannon St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to Veazie St; thence southeasterly on Veazie St to Eva St; thence southerly on Eva St to Admiral St; thence easterly on Admiral St to Douglas Ave; thence southerly on Douglas Ave to Berkshire St; thence northeasterly on Berkshire St to March St; thence southeasterly on March St to Chad Brown St; thence northeasterly on Chad Brown St to census block 440070027003019; thence southeasterly on the line between census blocks 440070027003019  440070027003020 and 440070027003019  440070027003021 to Fillmore St; thence southwesterly on Fillmore St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to Chalkstone Ave; thence northeasterly on Chalkstone Ave to N Davis St; thence southerly on N Davis St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to I-95; thence southerly on I-95 to Smith St; thence easterly on Smith St to Francis St; thence southerly on Francis St to Gaspee St; thence easterly on Gaspee St to the eastern boundary line of Providence Amtrak Station and the New York New Haven and Hartford RR; thence northerly on New York New Haven and Hartford RR to Smith St; thence easterly on Smith St to the Moshassuck River; thence southerly on the Moshassuck River to Washington Pl; thence southwesterly on Washington Pl to Memorial Blvd; thence southeasterly on Memorial Blvd to Dyer St; thence southerly on Dyer St to Eddy St; thence southeasterly on Eddy St to Elm St; thence southwesterly on Elm St to Richmond St; thence northwesterly on Richmond St to Ship St; thence westerly on Ship St to Clifford St; thence southwesterly on Clifford St to Chestnut St; thence northwesterly on Chestnut St to census block 40070008003072; thence northeasterly and northerly on the boundary line between census blocks 40070008003072  440070008003067 to Weybosset St; thence southwesterly on Weybosset St to Broad St; thence southwesterly on Broad St to I-95; thence southeasterly on I-95 to US Hwy 6; thence easterly on US Hwy 6 to Eddy St; thence southerly on Eddy St to Blackstone St; thence westerly on Blackstone St to Friendship St; thence southwesterly on Friendship St to Broad St; thence northerly on Broad St to Trinity Sq; thence southwesterly on Trinity Sq to Bridgham St; thence northwesterly on Bridgham St to Cranston St; thence southwesterly on Cranston St to Chapin Ave; thence westerly on Chapin Ave to Messer St; thence southerly on Messer St to Wendell St; thence westerly on Wendell St to Service Rd 1; thence southerly on Service Rd 1 to Union Ave; thence westerly on Union Ave to State Highway 10; thence southerly on State Highway 10 to the Providence  Cranston boundary line; thence southerly and easterly on the Providence  Cranston boundary line to the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR; thence northeasterly on the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR to Elmwood Ave; thence southeasterly on Elmwood Ave to Linden Ave; thence easterly and southerly on Linden Ave to Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd; thence northeasterly on Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd to Park Path; thence northeasterly on Park Path to Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd; thence northeasterly, southerly, and easterly on Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd to Montgomery Ave; thence easterly on Montgomery Ave to the Providence  Cranston boundary line; thence easterly on the Providence  Cranston boundary line to the Providence  East Providence boundary line; thence northerly on the Providence  East Providence boundary line to the Providence  Pawtucket boundary line; thence westerly on the Providence  Pawtucket boundary line to the Providence  North Providence boundary line; thence westerly on the Providence  North Providence boundary line to the point of origin.

Second district: The second congressional district shall consist of all of the towns of: Burrillville; Glocester; Foster; Scituate; Johnston; Coventry; West Warwick; West Greenwich; East Greenwich; Exeter; North Kingstown; Narragansett; New Shoreham; South Kingstown; Charlestown; Richmond; Hopkinton; and Westerly and the cities of: Cranston and Warwick.

The second congressional district shall also consist of all of the part of the city of Providence bounded by a line beginning at the Providence  North Providence boundary line and State Route 146; thence southerly on State Route 146 to Branch Ave; thence westerly on Branch Ave to Moy St; thence southerly on Moy St to Concannon St; thence westerly on Concannon St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to Veazie St; thence southeasterly on Veazie St to Eva St; thence southerly on Eva St to Admiral St; thence easterly on Admiral St to Douglas Ave; thence southerly on Douglas Ave to Berkshire St; thence northeasterly on Berkshire St to March St; thence southeasterly on March St to Chad Brown St; thence northeasterly on Chad Brown St to census block 440070027003019; thence southeasterly on the line between census blocks 440070027003019  440070027003020 and 440070027003019  440070027003021 to Fillmore St; thence southwesterly on Fillmore St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to Chalkstone Ave; thence northeasterly on Chalkstone Ave to N Davis St; thence southerly on N Davis St to Douglas Ave; thence southeasterly on Douglas Ave to I-95; thence southerly on I-95 to Smith St; thence easterly on Smith St to Francis St; thence southerly on Francis St to Gaspee St; thence easterly on Gaspee St to the eastern boundary line of Providence Amtrak Station and the New York New Haven and Hartford RR; thence northerly on New York New Haven and Hartford RR to Smith St; thence easterly on Smith St to the Moshassuck River; thence southerly on the Moshassuck River to Washington Pl; thence southwesterly on Washington Pl to Memorial Blvd; thence southeasterly on Memorial Blvd to Dyer St; thence southerly on Dyer St to Eddy St; thence southeasterly on Eddy St to Elm St; thence southwesterly on Elm St to Richmond St; thence northwesterly on Richmond St to Ship St; thence westerly on Ship St to Clifford St; thence southwesterly on Clifford St to Chestnut St; thence northwesterly on Chestnut St to census block 40070008003072; thence northeasterly and northerly on the boundary line between census blocks 40070008003072  440070008003067 to Weybosset St; thence southwesterly on Weybosset St to Broad St; thence southwesterly on Broad St to I-95; thence southeasterly on I-95 to US Hwy 6; thence easterly on US Hwy 6 to Eddy St; thence southerly on Eddy St to Blackstone St; thence westerly on Blackstone St to Friendship St; thence southwesterly on Friendship St to Broad St; thence northerly on Broad St to Trinity Sq; thence southwesterly on Trinity Sq to Bridgham St; thence westerly and northwesterly on Bridgham St to Cranston St; thence southwesterly on Cranston St to Chapin Ave; thence westerly on Chapin Ave to Messer St; thence southerly on Messer St to Wendell St; thence westerly on Wendell St to Service Rd 1; thence southerly on Service Rd 1 to Union Ave; thence westerly on Union Ave to State Highway 10; thence southerly on State Highway 10 to the Providence  Cranston boundary line; thence southerly and easterly on the Providence  Cranston boundary line to the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR; thence northeasterly on the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR to Elmwood Ave; thence southeasterly on Elmwood Ave to Linden Ave; thence easterly and southerly on Linden Ave to Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd; thence northeasterly on Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd to Park Path; thence northeasterly on Park Path to Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd; thence northeasterly, southerly, and easterly on Fredrick C. Greene Memorial Blvd to Montgomery Ave; thence easterly on Montgomery Ave to the Providence  Cranston boundary line; thence westerly, southerly and northerly on the Providence  Cranston boundary line to the Providence  Johnston boundary line; thence northerly on the Providence  Johnston boundary line to the Providence  North Providence boundary line; thence northeasterly on the Providence  North Providence boundary line to the point of origin.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-2-5 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-2 / Section 17-2-5
§ 17-2-5. Vacancies in other general offices.
Status: in_force

In case of a vacancy in the office of secretary of state, attorney general, or general treasurer, from any cause, the general assembly in grand committee shall elect some person to fill the office; provided, that if the vacancy occurs when the general assembly is not in session, the governor shall appoint some person to fill the vacancy until a successor elected by the general assembly is qualified to act.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-44 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-44
§ 17-15-44. Rules  Recommendations for amendment of laws.
Status: in_force

The state board shall have power to make any rules that it deems designed to promote the objects and purposes of chapters 12  15 of this title, and shall annually report to the general assembly, in writing, the amendments it recommends should be made to these chapters.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-21 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-21
§ 17-20-21. Certifying envelopes.
Status: in_force

The secretary of state shall cause to be prepared and printed and shall furnish with each mail ballot an envelope for sealing up and certifying the ballot when returned. The envelope shall be printed in substantially the following form:

(If unable to sign name because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write, the voter or their assistant shall mark a box to indicate the voter cannot sign due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write and include the full name, residence address, signature, and optionally the telephone number and e-mail address, of the person who provided assistance to the voter on the certifying envelope provided by the secretary of state. The representation relating to the voters inability to sign shall be made under the pains and penalties of perjury).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-14 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-14
§ 17-19-14. Preparation of voting equipment for election  Testing.
Status: in_force

(a) Prior to any election at which optical scan precinct count voting units are to be used, including those that are accessible for voters who are blind, visually impaired, or disabled, the secretary of state shall prepare the layout and format of the computer ballot in conjunction with the voting equipment vendor under contract with the state. The secretary of state shall be responsible for the coding and layout of all computer ballots to be used in each election under contract, including the printing of the ballot and the preparation of the device to ensure that the ballots are displayed correctly on the accessible voting units and compatible with the device, and shall transfer all information relative to the ballot and its preparation to the state board.

(b) Subsequently, the state board, in conjunction with the voter equipment vendor under contract with the state, shall be responsible for the testing of the programmed memory cartridge, the testing of each unit for logic and accuracy, including ensuring the accessible voting unit is properly calibrated and correctly coded, and the set up of each optical scan precinct unit at each polling place. The state board of elections shall determine, and document on the forms provided for that purpose, the fact that the programmed memory device cartridges for the optical scan precinct count and accessible voting units are in good working order, that the daily counter is at zero, and all of the candidates counters are set at zero and record no vote for any candidate.

(c) The state board of elections, in conjunction with the voting equipment vendor under contract with the state, shall publicly conduct these tests on each programmed cartridge for each optical scan precinct count and accessible voting unit to be used for the election. This testing shall be made as near to the time of the election as is feasible.

(d) The state board of elections, in consultation with the secretary of state, shall promulgate rules and regulations on logic and accuracy testing protocols, pursuant to chapter 35 of title 42 (administrative procedures).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-6-3 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-6 / Section 17-6-3
§ 17-6-3. Computer ballots and sample ballots.
Status: in_force

The secretary of state shall be responsible for the arrangement, preparation, printing, and provision of all computer ballots, to be used in conjunction with the optical scan voting equipment authorized pursuant to this title, and sample ballots to be used at any election. The secretary of state shall deliver to the state board a sufficient quantity of sample ballots to be used by the board in the preparation of voting equipment for each election.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-8-2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-8 / Section 17-8-2
§ 17-8-2. Term and qualifications for office.
Status: in_force

Each member of a local canvassing authority shall be appointed to serve for a term of six (6) years beginning on the first Monday of March succeeding the date of his or her appointment and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. No person shall be appointed or serve as a member of the authority who is an officer or employee of the United States or of this state, or who is an officer or employee of the authoritys city or town; provided, that in any city a member of the authority may be employed as its clerk. Any member of the authority who becomes a candidate for election to any public office and who fails to file a declination of the candidacy within the time allowed by law shall be disqualified from holding membership upon the authority and his or her successor shall be immediately elected.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-3-7 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-3 / Section 17-3-7
§ 17-3-7. Nominations at special elections.
Status: in_force

For the elections provided for in §§ 17-3-5 and 17-3-6, certificates of nomination and nomination papers may be filed twenty-eight (28) days prior to the date of those primary elections.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-14-6 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-14 / Section 17-14-6
§ 17-14-6. Statement at head of nomination papers.
Status: in_force

At the head of the space on the nomination papers where voters are to endorse their approval of the candidates shall be printed the following:

Each of the signers of this paper by so signing severally certifies that he or she is a voter in the area from and for which the endorsed candidate (or candidates) seek(s) to be elected.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-11-15 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-11 / Section 17-11-15
§ 17-11-15. Persons ineligible to serve as election officials.
Status: in_force

No person shall be appointed or serve as an election official who has been convicted, found guilty, pleaded guilty or nolo contendere, or placed on a deferred or suspended sentence, or on probation, for any crime which involves moral turpitude or which constitutes a violation of any of the election or caucus laws of this or any other state. No person shall be disqualified simply because he or she is a notary public. No candidate for any office to be filled at any election shall be appointed at the election as an election official. Every election official shall make an affidavit before some member of the proper board of canvassers, to the effect that he or she is not disqualified by reason of the provisions of this section; provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to moderators and town clerks.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-8 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-8
§ 17-15-8. Listing of candidates on ballots.
Status: in_force

The secretary of state shall immediately, upon receipt of the certificates provided for by chapter 14 of this title, cause the proper ballots to be prepared for use in the various voting districts. Names of party candidates for a particular office shall be printed vertically below the names of the office they seek and shall not appear on the ballot more than once for the same office; provided, the names of candidates having the endorsement of their party committees shall be printed first below the title of the offices they seek and shall be marked with an asterisk (*). As to each candidate, following the endorsed party candidate, for a national office, a general office within the state, or for a general assembly office, the names shall be listed in an order chosen by lot under the direction of the secretary of state. As to each candidate, following the endorsed party candidate, for a city, town, or other local election, the names shall be listed alphabetically after the name of the endorsed party candidate. In the event that there are more candidates for a particular office than the voting machine can accommodate in the vertical column, the names shall be continued in the same manner in the next succeeding vertical column. Names of candidates shall be printed upon the ballots as the names appear on the voting list, notwithstanding that the candidate may have signed his or her declaration of candidacy other than as the candidates name appears on the voting list.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-13-5 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-13 / Section 17-13-5
§ 17-13-5. Lists furnished to parties and candidates.
Status: in_force

After the first meeting held to correct and add to the voting lists as required by this chapter, the local boards shall immediately furnish five (5) complete copies of the printed lists to the town or city chairperson of each political party. The local boards shall furnish certified copies of the primary lists to any political party or candidate.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-9.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-9.1
§ 17-20-9.1. Application by member of the armed forces in active service.
Status: in_force

(a) A voter who is a member of the armed forces in active service may, by certification to that effect by the voters civilian or military commander or noncommissioned officer in charge of the particular duty station, require that an absentee ballot application be sent to the voter automatically for every election during the period of time for which the voter has been assigned to that duty station. The certification by the civilian or military commander or noncommissioned officer in charge of the particular duty station shall be prepared in form by the secretary of state and shall include the name of the military personnel, the address to which the voters application shall be mailed, the name and signature of the military or civilian commander or noncommissioned officer completing the certification, and the expected date of reassignment or discharge of that service person from that duty station.

(b) Notification of removal from the mailing list shall be sent to the applicant.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-38 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-38
§ 17-19-38. Custody of optical scan precinct count units pending return to storage.
Status: in_force

After the close of the polls, the local board shall resume custody of the voting equipment until the voting equipment is removed by the state board or its designee. The local board shall take all necessary measures to prevent the voting equipment from being opened, tampered with, injured, or damaged.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-10-2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-10 / Section 17-10-2
§ 17-10-2. Right to vote unprejudiced by errors.
Status: in_force

A voters registration shall not be invalidated nor the voters right to vote be prejudiced by any error in filing registration cards or in the preparation of lists of voters or in making any change or transfer in the records.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-18-5 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-18 / Section 17-18-5
§ 17-18-5. Date of general elective meetings.
Status: in_force

A meeting of the electors of every city, town, senatorial district, representative district, and of every voting district shall be held biennially in the even years on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November at a place to be designated and furnished by the local boards of the respective towns and cities at the expense of the towns and cities, respectively, for the purpose of organization and voting for general officers, senators and representatives in the general assembly, representatives in congress, and electors of president and vice-president of the United States, if to be chosen, and for any other officers that are to be chosen on that day.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-10-5 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-10 / Section 17-10-5
§ 17-10-5. Canvass and correction of preliminary lists.
Status: in_force

(a) The local board shall, before the twentieth (20th) day preceding each election, meet and canvass the preliminary lists and hear objections to the inclusion or omission of any person as a registered voter, and it shall at that time make a final canvass and correction of the registration files. It shall give notice of the time and place of the meeting, for at least ten (10) days previous to it, by posting notices of the meeting in the same manner as required by this chapter for the posting of the preliminary list, and by publication once, at least ten (10) days previous to the meeting on the official website maintained by the city or town. At or following the meeting, the local board shall strike from the lists and direct the cancellation of the registration of every person who is not qualified to vote at the election for which the final canvass is made, and shall immediately notify the secretary of state of that action. No registration shall be cancelled or a voters right to vote be otherwise limited based upon a finding that the voter no longer resides within the city or town unless the voter has confirmed either in person or in writing that the voter no longer resides within the city or town or the board has received written evidence that the voter has registered to vote within another city or town or in another state.

(b) The local boards may meet and canvass the voting lists of any senatorial district, representative district or districts, ward or wards, or voting district or districts in any senatorial or representative district, ward, or voting district, or at their office or other previously designated place, at any other convenient time or times, on the same day or different days, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-41 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-19 / Section 17-19-41
§ 17-19-41. Violations by public officers.
Status: in_force

Any public officer upon whom a duty is imposed by this chapter who willfully neglects to perform that duty, or who performs it in a way as to hinder the objects of this chapter, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-7.5 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-7.5
§ 17-25-7.5. Electronic reporting  Declaration of purpose.
Status: in_force

The State of Rhode Island is committed to facilitating public access to reports of campaign contributions and expenditures by candidates for public office and other entities required to file campaign finance reports.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-23-18 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-23 / Section 17-23-18
§ 17-23-18. Political advertising from official budgets prohibited.
Status: in_force

(a) Except in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of this section, no elected official shall permit the expenditure of public funds from any official budget under his or her authority for any publication, advertisement, broadcast, or telecast of his or her photograph, voice, or other likeness to be broadcast or distributed to the public during the one hundred and twenty (120) days preceding any primary or general election in which he or she is a candidate.

(b) This section shall not be construed to prohibit an official from appearing on regular capitol television programming operated by the general assembly or on television stations operated by the Rhode Island PBS Foundation during the period of time or programming of regular or special meetings of city or town councils or any local governmental board, agency or other entity.

(c) This section shall not be construed to prohibit the publication, broadcast, or telecast of any photograph, voice, or other likeness of an elected official that is distributed to the public by or through an official government website or social media presence provided that the website or social media presence is continuously maintained in the regular course of official government business exclusively for general informational or transparency purposes.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-18 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-18
§ 17-25-18. Public financing of election campaigns  General purpose.
Status: in_force

Whereas, the general assembly finds that the cost of running for statewide office has risen over the last decade at a rate far in excess of the increase in the cost of living; and

Whereas, the general assembly finds that the need to raise ever larger sums of money to effectively compete for general office threatens the essence of our democratic system by excluding many well qualified candidates; and

Whereas, the general assembly finds that the candidates need to raise large sums of money can result in disproportionate and inappropriate influence being obtained by those who possess the financial ability to make large contributions to campaigns; and

Whereas, the general assembly finds that the state cannot impose limitations on the amount of private funds raised and expended for election purposes by a candidate unless it provides for at least partial public financing of campaigns;

Therefore, the general assembly determines that it is in the best interest of the citizens of the state to provide public financing to qualified candidates for general office.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-26_17-20-26 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-26_17-20-26
§ 17-20-26. Opening and counting of ballots. [Effective until June 17, 2025.]17-20-26. Opening and counting of ballots. [Effective June 17, 2025.]
Status: in_force

(a)(1) Beginning prior to and continuing on election day the state board, upon receipt of mail ballots, shall keep the ballots in a safe and secure place that shall be separate and apart from the general public area and sufficiently monitored through security measures including security cameras. The board shall, beginning twenty (20) days prior to and continuing on election day, proceed to certify the mail ballots.

(2) Notice of these sessions shall be given to the public on the state board of elections website and the secretary of states website posted at least twenty-four (24) hours before the commencing of any session. All candidates for state and federal office, as well as all state party chairpersons, shall be given notice by telephone, email or otherwise of the day on which ballots will be certified; provided, that failure to effect the notice shall in no way invalidate the ballots.

(b) This processing shall be done within a railed space in the room in which it takes place, and the board shall admit within the railed space, in accordance with those rules that the board shall adopt, to witness the processing and certification of the ballots, the interested voter or the voters representative, the candidates, or at least one representative of each candidate for whom votes are at the time being processed, and an equal number of representatives of each political party. These representatives shall be authorized in writing by the voter, the candidate, or the chairperson of the state committee of the political party, respectively, as the case may be. The board shall also, in accordance with these rules, admit representatives of the press and newscasting agencies and any other persons that it deems proper.

(c) At these sessions, and before certifying any ballot, the state board shall:

(1) Determine the city or town in which the voter cast his or her ballot; and

(2) Compare the name, residence, and signature of the voter with the name, residence, and signature on the central voter registration system for mail ballots and satisfy itself that both signatures are identical. The board shall designate two (2) persons, to review and compare each voters signature with the voters signature found in the central voter registration system. If both designees agree that the signatures match, the mail ballot shall proceed to be processed, certified, and tabulated. In the event that one or both designees find a discrepancy with the voters signature, the certification envelope shall then be reviewed by a pair of supervising board staff members. If the pair of supervising board staff members find that the signatures match, then the mail ballot shall proceed to be processed, certified, and tabulated. In the event that one or both supervising board staff members find a discrepancy in the voters signature, the supervising board staff shall compare the signature on the certification envelope to the voters ballot application. If the pair of supervising board staff members find that those signatures match, then the mail ballot shall proceed to be processed, certified, and tabulated. In the event that one or both supervising board staff members find a discrepancy in the voters signature, the supervising board staff shall compare the signature on the certification envelope to the voters ballot application. If the pair of supervising board staff members find that the signatures match, then the mail ballot shall proceed to be processed, certified, and tabulated. In the event that one or both supervising board staff members find a discrepancy in the voters signature, the certification envelope shall be segregated, and the board will notify the voter of the discrepancy, in accordance with regulations and procedures promulgated by the board. Any segregated certification envelope that has not been cured or fully addressed by the voter, in accordance with the boards promulgated regulations and procedures, shall be reviewed by the board to make a final determination on the signature set forth on the certification envelope.

(d) [Deleted by P.L. 2015, ch. 259, § 1.]

(e) The board shall promulgate regulations that allow for challenges to the certification process by the interested voter, the voters representative, the candidates, and representatives of the recognized political parties. Such challenges shall be made to the executive director of the board, or the executive directors designee. The decision of the executive director or designee shall be subject to review by the board.

(f) After processing and certification of the mail ballots, they shall be separated in packages in accordance with their respective cities and towns, in the presence of all interested parties. Thereupon, in each instance the board staff shall open the enclosing envelope, and without looking at the votes cast on the enclosed ballot, shall remove the ballot from the envelope. The board staff shall proceed to tabulate the ballots through the use of a central count optical-scan unit with the same effect as if the ballots had been cast by the electors in open town or district meetings.

(g) When a local election is held at a time other than in conjunction with a statewide election, the state board, after the processing and certification of the mail ballots cast in the local election, shall package the local ballots to be promptly delivered in sealed packages, bearing upon the seals the signatures of the members of the board, to the appropriate local board which shall thereupon proceed to count the ballots in the same manner and with the same effect as state mail ballots are counted by the state board.

(h) When a local election is held in New Shoreham at a time other than in conjunction with a statewide election, the state board, after the processing and certification of the mail ballots cast in the local election, shall have the authority to count the ballots in the same manner and with the same effect as state mail ballots are counted by the state board in a statewide election. Once the ballots are counted, the results shall be sent via facsimile to the local board in New Shoreham.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-11-8 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-11 / Section 17-11-8
§ 17-11-8. Qualifications of moderators and clerks  Vacancies.
Status: in_force

The moderators and clerks shall each be able to read the Constitution of the state in the English language, and to write their names. Every person appointed as a moderator or clerk shall immediately be notified of his or her appointment and shall, within five (5) days of his or her appointment, accept or decline the appointment, and shall be, at least three (3) days prior to the election, sworn to the faithful discharge of his or her duties by some member of the board making the appointment. In case any appointed person neglects to qualify or is unable or fails to serve, the vacancy shall be filled by the board making the appointment, and the appointee shall be, whenever possible, of the same political affiliation as the person failing to qualify, and shall, before serving, qualify before some member of the board.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-2.3 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-2.3
§ 17-20-2.3. Online application for mail ballot.
Status: in_force

(a) In addition to any other available means of applying for a mail ballot, the secretary of state shall establish and maintain a system through which voters may apply for a mail ballot online.

(b) Applications filed using such system shall be considered filed on the calendar date the application is initially transmitted by the voter through the online mail ballot application system.

(c) A voter shall be able to apply for a mail ballot using the online ballot application system when the voter:

(1) Completes an online mail ballot application form, established by the secretary of state, substantially similar to the paper-based mail ballot application form established by § 17-20-13;

(2) Affirms, subject to penalty of perjury, by means of electronic or manual signature, that the information contained in the mail ballot application is true; and

(3) Verifies the voters identity by providing the voters date of birth and a Rhode Island drivers license number or state identification number.

(d) The portal for mail ballot applications shall be available in any language required by federal or state voting rights laws.

(e) To ensure full, equal, and independent access to all voters with disabilities, the portal for mail ballot applications shall comply with all requirements under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131-12165, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 compliance level AA.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-15-12 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-15 / Section 17-15-12
§ 17-15-12. Ballot when contest exists.
Status: in_force

Whenever there is a contest within any voting district, a primary election shall be held in the voting district and the names of all candidates for state office and the names of only those candidates for local office that are contesting a particular local office or offices shall appear on the ballots.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-12-3 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-12 / Section 17-12-3
§ 17-12-3. Delegation of powers by state committee.
Status: in_force

The state committee of a political party may delegate its authority, by rules or resolutions, to its executive committee, or any duly selected subcommittee of the executive committee, to act when the entire committee is not in session.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-14-14 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-14 / Section 17-14-14
§ 17-14-14. Hearings on objections  Witnesses  Notice.
Status: in_force

(a) All objections to nomination papers which are required to be filed with the secretary of state shall be considered by the state board. The secretary of state shall, when requested by the state board, immediately deliver to the board the nomination papers to which objection has been filed. The state board may, at the hearing on the objections, summon witnesses, administer oaths, and require the production of books, papers, and documents. The witnesses shall be summoned in the same manner, be paid the same fees, and be subject to the same penalties for default as witnesses before the superior court. A summons may be sworn to and an oath may be administered by the board. When an objection has been filed, notice of the objection shall be immediately given by registered or certified mail or by personal service by the state board to the candidates, addressed to the residence of the candidate as given in the nomination papers, and to any party committee interested in the nomination to which objection is made. The state board shall promulgate rules and regulations on challenges to nomination papers filed by any candidate, an individual presenting written authorization from the candidate, or the chairperson of any party committee that questions the validity or authenticity of any signature on the nomination paper of a candidate.

(b) Additional notice may also be given by the state board if it sees fit to do so. The decision of the board shall be rendered within two (2) days, exclusive of Sundays and holidays, after filing of objections and shall immediately be certified by the state board to the secretary of state.

(c) All objections to nomination papers other than state and federal candidates shall be considered by the local board in the same manner and with the same effect as provided in subsection (a) of this section for hearing of objections to nomination papers for state and federal candidates by the state board.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-9.2 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-20 / Section 17-20-9.2
§ 17-20-9.2. Application by member of the armed forces in active service registered to vote using the federal postcard application (FPCA).
Status: in_force

(a) A voter who is a member of the armed forces in active service may, by certification to that effect by the voters civilian or military commander or noncommissioned officer in charge of the particular duty station, require that an absentee ballot be sent to the voter automatically if that voter has registered to vote using the federal postcard application (FPCA), for every election during the period of time for which the voter has been assigned to that duty station. The certification by the civilian or military commander or noncommissioned officer in charge of the duty station may be prepared in form by the secretary of state and shall include the name of the military personnel, the address to which the voters application shall be mailed, the name and signature of the military or civilian commander or noncommissioned officer completing the certification, and the expected date of reassignment or discharge of that service person from that duty station.

(b) Notification of removal from the mailing list shall be sent to the applicant.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-11.1 — RI Code / Title 17 / Chapter 17-25 / Section 17-25-11.1
§ 17-25-11.1. Preservation of candidate or committee records.
Status: in_force

(a) For every report filed after the effective date of this chapter, the campaign treasurer of each candidate seeking nomination for election or election to public office shall maintain and preserve all records and supporting documentation for a period of four (4) years from the filing date.

(b) For every report filed after the effective date of this chapter, the treasurer of each political party committee and political action committee shall be required to maintain and preserve all records in support of the committee reports filed pursuant to § 17-25-11 for a period of four (4) years from the filing date.