Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 410 - Board of Elections › Chapter 20 - Elections › Subchapter 00 - N/A › Part 21 - Periodic Updating of Voter Registration Records (410-RICR-20-00-21) › Section 410-RICR-20-00-21.1

Current through June 14, 2024
A. The Rhode Island State Board of Elections
				  has promulgated the within rules and regulations relative to the processing of
				  changes in voter registration records in conjunction with the periodic updating
				  of voter registration records of all persons registered to vote in the several
				  cities and towns of the State of Rhode Island as mandated by R.I. Gen. Laws
				  §
										17-9.1-27. The Rules adopted by
				  the State Board of Elections are established in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws
				  Chapter 17-7, as amended.
B. Said
				  rules and regulations are established in accordance with the Administrative
				  Procedures Act (R.I. Gen. Laws §
										42-35-1, et al.) and available for
				  public inspection, submissions or requests at the Office of the Secretary of
				  State, Documents and Records Division, 337 Westminster St, Providence, Rhode
				  Island.
C. In order to provide
				  uniformity to the confirmation process and updating of voter registration
				  records in conjunction with the United States Postal Service (USPS), National
				  Change of Address (NCOA) Program records, each of the local canvassing
				  authorities shall be required to process information received through the
				  National Change of Address Program as follows:
1. The Office of the Secretary of State will
				  send the state Central Voter Registration System (CVRS) list to a USPS
				  certified vendor for comparison against the list provided by the NCOA Program
				  and will provide the local canvassing authority with the information obtained
				  from the NCOA Program. This information will be provided electronically through
				  the CVRS.
2. In accordance with
				  R.I. Gen. Laws §
											17-9.1-27, when the NCOA Program
				  detects an address change for any voter, the local board of canvassers shall
				  institute the confirmation process described in R.I. Gen. Laws §
											17-9.1-26. Accordingly, all local
				  boards of canvassers shall be responsible for conducting the confirmation
				  process, maintaining all documents associated with same, and updating all
				  records as necessary as mandated by state law.
3. Within the time prescribed by the Office
				  of the Secretary of State, local boards shall institute the confirmation
				  process outlined in R.I. Gen. Laws §
											17-9.1-26.
4. A mailing, using the form prescribed by
				  the State Board of Elections ("NCOA notice"), shall be sent to each voter at
				  the address currently on file with the local board of canvassers and at the
				  address provided through the NCOA Program. The local canvassing authority must
				  include the voter's name and address as it appears on the voting list in "Block
				  A" on the form. They must also fill in "Block B" with the name of the voter and
				  the address provided by the vendor for the National Change of Address Program.
				  The prescribed form is attached* to these rules and regulations and made a part
				  thereof. Local boards must advise voters, by providing the appropriate date in
				  the space provided the form, that they must respond to the form within fourteen
				  (14) days of the date the form was mailed to the voter.
5. Sufficient postage must be affixed by the
				  local boards for first class forward mailing of these forms to the voter.
				  Postage to return the completed notice shall be the responsibility of the
				  voter. All forms will be pre-addressed to be returned to the State Board of
				  Elections where they will be sorted, recorded and forwarded to the appropriate
				  local boards of canvassers.
6. Upon
				  receipt of the completed forms, local boards shall proceed to implement the
				  next step in the confirmation process based upon the information received from
				  the voter on the returned form or the failure of the voter to return the form.
				  Said procedures are outlined in the chart attached* to these rules and
				  regulations and made a part hereof. Local boards must implement this step in
				  the process as outlined on the chart under the heading "Action Taken By Local
				  Board of Canvassers" forthwith upon receiving the voter's completed "NCOA
				  notice" from the State Board of Elections.
7. Any situations not addressed on the chart
				  will be handled on a case by case basis with the State Board of Elections
				  making a determination after a review of the matter.