§ 17-20-30. Penalty for violations.
(a) Any person who knowingly makes or causes to be made any material false statement in connection with his or her application to vote as a mail voter, or who votes or attempts to vote under the provisions of this chapter, by fraudulently signing the name of another upon any envelope provided for in this chapter, or who, not being a qualified voter and having knowledge or being chargeable with knowledge of the fact, attempts to vote under this chapter, or who votes the ballot of another voter, or who deliberately prevents or causes to prevent the mail ballot to be received by the voter or to be returned to the board of elections, or who deceives, coerces, or interferes with the voter casting his or her ballot, and any person who does or attempts to do, or aid in doing or attempting to do, a fraudulent act in connection with any vote cast or to be cast under the provisions of this chapter, shall be guilty of a felony.
(b) Any person who, having received a mail voter’s ballot and having voted or not voted the mail ballot, votes or fraudulently attempts to vote at any elective meeting within the state held on the day for which the ballot was issued shall be guilty of a felony.
(c) Any officer or other person who intentionally opens a mail voter’s certified envelope or examines the contents before the envelope is opened by the board of elections, as provided in this chapter, shall be guilty of a felony.
(d) The offenses in this section shall be punishable by imprisonment of not more than ten (10) years and/or by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).
History of Section.P.L. 1978, ch. 258, § 2; P.L. 1980, ch. 407, § 1; P.L. 2022, ch. 45, § 5, effective June 7, 2022; P.L. 2022, ch. 46, § 5, effective June 7, 2022.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Section 17-20-1. - Voting by mail ballot.
Section 17-20-1.1. - Declaration of policy.
Section 17-20-2. - Eligibility for mail ballots.
Section 17-20-2.1. - Requirements for validity of mail ballot and mail ballot applications.
Section 17-20-2.2. - Requirements for validity of emergency mail ballots.
Section 17-20-2.3. - Online application for mail ballot.
Section 17-20-3. - Definitions.
Section 17-20-4. - Exemption from registration.
Section 17-20-5. - Residence of person in service or employed outside of the United States.
Section 17-20-6. - Alternative methods of voting.
Section 17-20-7. - Duplication of votes — Methods preferred.
Section 17-20-8. - Application for ballot.
Section 17-20-8.1. - Repealed.
Section 17-20-9.1. - Application by member of the armed forces in active service.
Section 17-20-10.1. - Repealed.
Section 17-20-10.2. - Official state blank ballots.
Section 17-20-11. - Safekeeping of lists of applicants.
Section 17-20-12. - Secretary of state to furnish forms and supplies.
Section 17-20-13. - Form of application.
Section 17-20-13.1. - Form of emergency mail ballot application.
Section 17-20-14.1. - Mail ballots — Local supervision.
Section 17-20-14.2. - Voting from board of canvassers.
Section 17-20-16. - Time of casting vote.
Section 17-20-17. - Omission of presidential electors.
Section 17-20-18. - Instructions on ballot.
Section 17-20-19. - Envelopes for return of ballots.
Section 17-20-20. - Instructions for voting procedure.
Section 17-20-21. - Certifying envelopes.
Section 17-20-22.1. - Mail ballot drop boxes.
Section 17-20-23. - Marking and certification of ballot.
Section 17-20-24. - Irregularities not impairing validity of ballots.
Section 17-20-24.1. - Irregularities in obtaining and casting mail ballots.
Section 17-20-25. - Return of unused ballots.
Section 17-20-26. - Opening and counting of ballots.
Section 17-20-27. - Sealing of ballots and voting list.
Section 17-20-28. - Copies of chapter furnished to local boards.
Section 17-20-29. - Mail applicant not permitted to vote at polls.
Section 17-20-30. - Penalty for violations.
Section 17-20-31. - Investigation of complaints.
Section 17-20-32. - [Repealed.]
Section 17-20-33. - Disqualification of ballot by board of elections.