Use this Rhode Island voting guide to check registration options, voter ID requirements, polling hours, absentee voting, eligibility rules, and official resources.
At a Glance
Rhode Island voting quick facts
Registration
Rhode Island registration options include Online, By Mail, and In Person.
If for any reason you believe you will not be able to make it to the polls on election day, you can vote early using an emergency mail ballot within 20 days before the election.
In person registration deadline is 30 days before Election Day. Voters will automatically be registered to vote when they interact with the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Bring the completed form to your local board of canvassers.
In-person registration must be completed 30 days before Election Day.
The National Mail Voter Registration Form may also be available where accepted.
registration_status
Consider yourself registered when- and only when- you receive an acknowledgment from your county clerk. Never assume you are registered to vote until you have received this acknowledgment. Call your county clerk and inquire about the status of your application. Check your voter registration status online by visiting this site
Identification
Rhode Island voter ID laws
Rhode Island voter ID rule: Non-strict photo ID.
Non-strict photo ID
Rhode Island voter ID rule: Non-strict photo ID.
Code: R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-24.2 and R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-24.3
Accepted forms of ID
Rhode Island driver's license
Rhode Island voter identification card
United States passport
Identification card issued by a United States educational institution
United States military identification card
Identification card issued by: - the United States government, or - the State of Rhode Island
Government-issued medical card
If you do not have ID
A voter who is unable to provide acceptable identification may cast a provisional ballot.
The local board of canvassers determines whether the provisional ballot will count.
Election officials compare the signature on the provisional ballot application to the signature contained in the voter's registration record.
If the signatures match, the provisional ballot is counted. If the signatures do not match, the provisional ballot is rejected.
If for any reason you believe you will not be able to make it to the polls on election day, you can vote early using an emergency mail ballot within 20 days before the election.
Absentee Voting In Rhode Island
If for any reason you believe you will not be able to make it to the polls on election day, you can vote early using an emergency mail ballot within 20 days before the election.
Emergency absentee ballot
If for any reason you believe you will not be able to make it to the polls on election day, you can vote early using an emergency mail ballot within 20 days before the election.
To apply for an emergency mail ballot you must obtain an application from your local board of canvassers and return it to them by 4:00 P.M. the day before the election. You will be able to vote your ballot at the board of canvassers, take...
All mail ballots must be received by the State Board of Elections at 50 Branch Avenue Providence, R.I. 02904 by 8:00 P.M. the night of the election.
A voter within the State of Rhode Island who is incapacitated to the extent that it would be an undue hardship to vote at the polls because of illness, or mental or physical disability, blindness, or serious impairment of mobility.
An elector who is confined to in any hospital, convalescent home, nursing home, rest home, or similar institution, public of private, within the State of Rhode Island. http://www.elections.ri.gov/voting/nursing.php
An elector who will be temporarily absent from the state because of employment or service intimately connected with military operations or who is a spouse or legal dependent residing with that person, or a United States citizen that will be...
Please Note: any voter qualified to vote a category 3 mail ballot will also be allowed to cast a mail ballot pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act UOCAVA Act...
An elector who may not be able to vote at his or her polling place in his or her city or town on the day of the election (see “No Excuse Mail Ballot Voting” below).
Once you have registered to vote you must submit a mail ballot application. You must complete a mail ballot application for each individual election you wish to vote in.
Mail ballot applications must be filled out completely and received by your local board no later than 4:00 P.M. on the 21st day before the election or primary in which you wish to vote.
Please note that the application has to be physically at the local board by 4:00 P.M. on the deadline.
Postmarked applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. Local Boards will not be responsible if you fail to deliver a properly completed application by the deadline.
Under federal law, if you move within 30 days of a presidential election, you are allowed to vote for President and Vice President in your former state of residence, either in person or by absentee ballot.
Age requirements
Voting age: You must be at least 18 years of age to vote
Registration age: You must be at least 16 to register.
May Convicted Felons Register to vote?
If you are a convicted felon and not in prison and you are a US citizen at least 18 years of age on election day, you may restore your right to vote by notifying your local board of canvassers in writing that you have completed your prison...
To qualify to register you must:
Be a United States citizen;
Be at least 16 years of age. You must be at least 18 years of age to vote,and
Be a resident of the Rhode Island city or town where you wish to vote.
You must not be currently deemed non-compos mentis by a court of law
You must not be currently incarcerated in a correctional facility under felony conviction
You can also submit a voter registration form to:.
Movers and college students Voting
You can also submit a voter registration form to:.
Updating your voter registration information (name, address, or party change)
You can also submit a voter registration form to:
Update your name
Update your address
Update your party affiliation (it takes 90 days for a party change to take effect)
You must submit an updated voter registration form each time you change your address, change your name, or change your party affiliation.
College Students
At School. Students can establish residency in Rhode Island if they have a present intention to remain at their Rhode Island school address for the time being, and they intend to make it their principal home. Any other interpretation of the...
At Home. Students who lived in Rhode Island before moving elsewhere to attend school, and who wish to establish or keep their Rhode Island voting residency (i.e., at their parents’ Rhode Island address), should have no problem doing so...
Rhode Island lists online voter registration as available. You can register to vote in Rhode Island ONLINE. Online registration deadline is 30 days before Election Day
What voter ID rule does Rhode Island use?
Rhode Island is listed as Non-strict photo ID. Review the accepted ID forms and voter-without-ID procedures before voting.
What time do polls open in Rhode Island?
Polling places in Rhode Island are generally open 7:00 AM-8:00 PM. Confirm your assigned polling place before Election Day.
Where can I check my Rhode Island voter registration or polling place?
The Rhode Island voter lookup section lists tools for check your voter registration status, check your polling place location, view your sample ballot, and and more.
Can people with felony convictions vote in Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, people with felony convictions lose voting rights only while incarcerated and receive automatic restoration after release.
Source transparency.
This page is generated from the Can I Vote JSON voting-guide model for Rhode Island and includes 11 selected official or high-value resource links. Always confirm final voting instructions with your state or local election office.
Last reviewed: August 14, 2026. Generated from structured state voting models and official-source links.