Mail-In Voting Rights Expanded In Rhode Island

RHODE ISLAND — Gov. Dan McKee signed the "Let RI Vote Act" into law Wednesday, expanding mail-in voting across the Ocean State.

"There is nothing more fundamentally American than the right to vote — it provides every Rhode Islander the opportunity to have a say in how they would like to see their state, and country, shaped," McKee said. "The 'Let RI Vote Act' makes voting easier, safer, and more secure, and making it easier to give Rhode Islanders a voice in their government should always be our top priority. I thank the bill sponsors, legislators, and advocates who saw to it that this bill got across the finish line."

The legislation makes mail voting easier by allowing online mail ballot applications, and permitting any voter to use a mail ballot or an emergency mail ballot without needing an excuse for why they can't visit their polling location on Election Day. It also drops the requirement that mail ballots be either signed by two witnesses or notarized. Instead, voters' signatures will be verified using their registration records using a four-tiered verification process.

The bill also requires every city to maintain at least one drop box where voters can drop off their ballots through the close of polls on Election Day. Additionally, the act allows nursing home residents to opt in to automatically receive applications for mail-in ballots.

"COVID-19, the events of January 6th, 2021, and unfair voter treatment across the U.S. have exacerbated the need for election reform," Lt. Governor Sabina Matos said in a statement. "I commend the leadership of House Majority Whip Kazarian and Senator Euer for promoting and protecting every Rhode Islander's right to cast their vote."

The bill also enhances the state's voter registration list maintenance procedures, requiring the Secretary of State to update the voter list at least four times a year. Additionally, the bill reduces the application deadline for a Braille ballot from 45 days to 21 days before an election, and requires the Secretary of State to establish a permanent multilingual voter information hotline.