Voting in Rhode Island
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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.
This article includes the following information about voting policies in Rhode Island:
- Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
- In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
- Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
- Details about voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
- Contact information for election agencies.
Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.
For information on elections happening this year, click here.
Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.
Voter registration
The table below displays voter registration information specific to Rhode Island's 2026 election cycle.
Eligibility and registration details
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Rhode Island, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Rhode Island, and at least 16 years old. To vote, an individual must be at least 18 years old by Election Day. An individual must not be the subject of a written court order stating they cannot vote or incarcerated in a correctional facility upon a felony conviction.[1] Applicants can register online, by mailing in a voter registration form, or in person at the local board of canvassers or other state agencies such as the Department of Motor Vehicles.[1]
In-person voting
The table below displays voter registration information specific to Rhode Island's 2026 election cycle.
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
Polls in Rhode Island open at 7 a.m. Eastern Time except in New Shoreham, where they open at 9 a.m. All polls statewide close at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]
Voter identification
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Rhode Island requires voters to present photo identification (ID) while voting.[3]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Rhode Island Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
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To view Rhode Island state law pertaining to voter identification click here.
The Rhode Island Secretary of State issues free voter photo ID cards to individuals who do not possess a valid photo ID. Individuals may visit the Voter Information Center, call 401-222-2340, or email elections@sos.ri.gov for more information.[3]
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
Rhode Island permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting allows citizens to cast their ballots in person at a polling place before an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not offer no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
The table below displays voter registration information specific to Rhode Island's 2026 election cycle.
All Rhode Island voters are eligible to vote by absentee/mail-in ballot.[5]
Absentee/mail-in ballot applications must be received by your local board of canvassers by 4 p.m., 21 days before the election. Completed absentee/mail-in ballots must then be received by your local board of canvassers by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Should circumstances arise within 20 days of an election that will prevent a voter from making it to the polls on Election Day, he or she may qualify for an emergency mail ballot. More information regarding the emergency mail ballot process can be found here.[5][6]
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
In Rhode Island, people convicted of a felony lose their right to vote while incarcerated. Upon completion of their prison time, voting rights are automatically restored. If a person was not registered to vote previously, they can either notify their local board of canvassers in writing or submit a new voter registration form. Click here for a list of local boards of canvassers.[1]
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[7]
Contact information
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Rhode Island can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Rhode Island Local Boards of Canvassers
State of Rhode Island Board of Elections
- 2000 Plainfield Pike
- Cranston, Rhode Island 02921
- Phone: 401-222-2345
- Fax: 401-222-3135
- Email: elections.email@elections.ri.gov
- Website: https://elections.ri.gov
Rhode Island Department of State Elections Division
- 148 West River Street
- Providence, Rhode Island 02904-2615
- Phone: 401-222-2340
- Email: elections@sos.ri.gov
- Website: https://vote.sos.ri.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
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See also
- State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
- Voter ID in Rhode Island
- Election administration in Rhode Island
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Rhode Island
Elections in Rhode Island
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Rhode Island Department of State, "Register to Vote," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ Rhode Island Department of State, "Election Day Voting Hours," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rhode Island Board of Elections, "Voter ID," accessed October 8, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Rhode Island Secretary of State, "Vote from Home with a Mail Ballot," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ Rhode Island Board of Elections, "In Person Early Voting and Emergency Ballots," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," August 19, 2025
