Title 17
Elections

Chapter 20
Mail Ballots

R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-8

§ 17-20-8. Application for ballot.

(a) Whenever any person is unable to sign his or her name because of physical incapacity or otherwise, that person shall make his or her mark “X”.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter as to time and manner thereof, it shall be the duty of the applicant to cause the mail ballot application or the emergency mail ballot application, as the case may be, to be processed by the local board so that the applicant may receive the ballot, cast it, and cause delivery thereof to be made to the state board not later than eight o’clock (8:00) p.m. on the date of election.

(c) The local board shall maintain a separate list of names and addresses of all applicants and a copy of the list shall be made available for inspection to any person upon request.

(d) 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.

(e) Voters shall be able to apply for a mail ballot electronically through the voter registration portal established by § 17-20-2.3.

History of Section.
P.L. 1978, ch. 258, § 2; P.L. 1980, ch. 407, § 1; P.L. 1981, ch. 156, § 1; P.L. 1983, ch. 172, § 10; P.L. 1984, ch. 391, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 161, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 351, § 2; P.L. 1999, ch. 358, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 56, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 121, § 1; P.L. 2018, ch. 55, § 1; P.L. 2018, ch. 58, § 1; P.L. 2022, ch. 45, § 5, effective June 7, 2022; P.L. 2022, ch. 46, § 5, effective June 7, 2022.