§ 17-19-24.2. Voter identification.
(a) Beginning on January 1, 2012, any person claiming to be a registered and eligible voter who desires to vote at a primary election, special election, or general election shall provide proof of identity. For purposes of this section, proof of identity shall be valid if unexpired or expired no more than six (6) months prior to voting, and shall include:
(1) A valid and current document showing a photograph of the person to whom the document was issued, including without limitation:
(i) Rhode Island driver’s license;
(ii) Rhode Island voter identification card;
(iii) United States passport;
(iv) Identification card issued by a United States educational institution;
(v) United States military identification card;
(vi) Identification card issued by the United States or the State of Rhode Island;
(vii) Government issued medical card.
(2) A valid and current document without a photograph of the person to whom the document was issued, including without limitation:
(i) Birth certificate;
(ii) Social security card;
(iii) Government issued medical card.
(b) From and after January 1, 2014, any person claiming to be a registered and eligible voter who desires to vote at a primary election, special election, or general election shall provide proof of identity listed in subsection (a)(1).
(c) No later than January 1, 2012, Rhode Island voter identification cards will be issued upon request, and at no expense to the voters, at locations and in accordance with procedures established by rules and regulations promulgated by the secretary of state. The purpose of this section is to provide voter identification cards to those voters who do not possess the identification listed in subsection (a)(1).
(d) If the person claiming to be a registered and eligible voter is unable to provide proof of identity as required in subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) above, the person claiming to be a registered voter shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot pursuant to § 17-19-24.3 upon completing a provisional ballot voter’s certificate and affirmation. The local board shall determine the validity of the provisional ballot pursuant to § 17-19-24.3.
History of Section.P.L. 2011, ch. 199, § 2; P.L. 2011, ch. 201, § 2; P.L. 2019, ch. 62, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 74, § 1; P.L. 2020, ch. 79, art. 2, § 9.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 17-19 - Conduct of Election and Voting Equipment, and Supplies
Section 17-19-1. - Definitions.
Section 17-19-2. - Voting equipment.
Section 17-19-2.1. - New voting technology.
Section 17-19-3. - Voting equipment and services — Specifications.
Section 17-19-3.1. - Repealed.
Section 17-19-3.2. - Polling place accessibility for voters who are disabled or elderly.
Section 17-19-3.3. - Telephones at polling places.
Section 17-19-3.4. - Repealed.
Section 17-19-3.5 - — 17-19-3.15. Repealed.
Section 17-19-4. - Voting booths and optical scan precinct count units — Number to be furnished.
Section 17-19-4.1. - Repealed.
Section 17-19-4.2. - Moderator request — Computerized voting machines.
Section 17-19-5. - Printing and furnishing of computer ballots.
Section 17-19-6. - Ballot — Arrangement.
Section 17-19-6.1. - Local questions on the ballot.
Section 17-19-7. - Local candidates and questions — Certification — Ballots.
Section 17-19-7.1. - Listing of at-large candidates.
Section 17-19-7.2. - Names of candidates.
Section 17-19-8. - Ballots — Form.
Section 17-19-8.1. - Ballots for voters who are blind, visually impaired, or disabled.
Section 17-19-8.2. - State-of-the-art voting technology.
Section 17-19-9. - Party emblems.
Section 17-19-9.1. - Ballot arrangement — Independent candidates.
Section 17-19-10. - Sample ballots — Contents — Distribution.
Section 17-19-10.1. - Training and community outreach.
Section 17-19-11. - Election return forms — Contents.
Section 17-19-12. - Delivery of election supplies.
Section 17-19-13. - Exhibition of machines for instructional purposes.
Section 17-19-14. - Preparation of voting equipment for election — Testing.
Section 17-19-16. - State election inspectors — Appointment — Duties — Training — Compensation.
Section 17-19-18. - Examination of voting equipment prior to opening of polls.
Section 17-19-19. - Custody of machines during voting.
Section 17-19-20. - Repair or replacement of defective machines.
Section 17-19-21. - Arrangement of polling places — Election officials — Police officers.
Section 17-19-21.1. - Polling place bake sales.
Section 17-19-22. - Party checkers, runners, and watchers.
Section 17-19-22.1. - Bilingual poll workers.
Section 17-19-23. - Wardens and supervisors — Powers and duties.
Section 17-19-23.1. - Certification and appointment of election officials.
Section 17-19-23.2. - Compensation of election officials.
Section 17-19-23.3. - Repealed.
Section 17-19-24. - Procedure for voting.
Section 17-19-24.1. - Provisional voting under the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
Section 17-19-24.2. - Voter identification.
Section 17-19-24.3. - Provisional ballot procedures.
Section 17-19-25. - Certified voting list — Duty of bipartisan supervisor.
Section 17-19-26. - Models for instruction — Assistance to voters in marking their ballot.
Section 17-19-26.1. - Voting assistance.
Section 17-19-27. - Challenge of identity as to right to vote.
Section 17-19-30. - Voters who register by making a mark rather than signature.
Section 17-19-31. - Irregular ballots.
Section 17-19-32. - Recording and signing of returns.
Section 17-19-35. - Guarding optical scan precinct count units until resumption of custody by board.
Section 17-19-36. - Tabulation of town returns — Certificate of election.
Section 17-19-37. - Tabulation of state returns — Certificate of election.
Section 17-19-37.1. - Recount eligibility — Candidates for public office.
Section 17-19-37.2. - Recount eligibility — Write-in candidates for public office.
Section 17-19-37.3. - Recount eligibility — Ballot questions and other offices.
Section 17-19-37.4. - Post-election audits.
Section 17-19-38. - Custody of optical scan precinct count units pending return to storage.
Section 17-19-39. - Power to open voting equipment.
Section 17-19-39.1. - Voted ballot storage and security.
Section 17-19-41. - Violations by public officers.
Section 17-19-42. - Tampering with voting equipment.
Section 17-19-43. - Tampering with sample ballot.
Section 17-19-44. - Officer tampering with voting equipment.
Section 17-19-45. - Fraudulent election returns.
Section 17-19-47. - Improper possession of voting equipment keys or duplicates.
Section 17-19-48. - Posting of original voter registration records.
Section 17-19-49. - Political literature and influence.
Section 17-19-50. - Candidates listing on ballot.
Section 17-19-51. - Priority for elderly voters.
Section 17-19-52. - Priority for disabled voters.
Section 17-19-53. - Voter accompanied by children within voting booth.