§ 17-19-31. Irregular ballots.
Ballots voted for any person whose name does not appear on the ballot as a nominated candidate for office are referred to in this section as “irregular ballots.” In voting for presidential electors, a voter may vote an irregular ticket made up of the names of persons in nomination by different parties; or partly of names of persons in nomination and partly of names of persons not in nomination; or wholly of names of persons not in nomination by any party. Scanned images of the computer ballot containing the irregular ballot shall be stored digitally on physical electronic media in the optical-scan precinct-count unit. With that exception, no irregular ballot shall be voted for any person for any office whose name appears on the ballot as a nominated candidate for that office; any irregular ballot so voted shall not be counted. An irregular ballot must be cast in its appropriate place on the ballot, or it shall be void and not counted and no irregular ballots shall be counted at primaries; provided, that at any presidential primary, irregular ballots shall be counted for those persons whose names have been written in for the office of president. At the close of the polls, irregular ballots shall be packaged according to § 17-19-33 and shall be immediately delivered to the local board of canvassers. The local board shall receive the tape from the optical precinct-count unit containing printed images of each written name on the irregular ballots, or the physical electronic media containing images of the irregular ballots and record all write-in votes cast for all federal, state, and local races listed on the tape. The local board shall notify the state board of the results through a procedure promulgated by the state board.
History of Section.P.L. 1935, ch. 2195, § 17; G.L. 1938, ch. 318, § 13; P.L. 1940, ch. 818, § 1; impl. am. P.L. 1947, ch. 1886, §§ 36, 39; G.L. 1956, § 17-19-27; G.L. 1956, § 17-19-31; P.L. 1958, ch. 18, § 1; P.L. 1966, ch. 199, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 7, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 205, § 2; P.L. 1996, ch. 277, § 12; P.L. 1996, ch. 298, § 12; P.L. 2016, ch. 174, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 190, § 1.
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 - Repealed.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.