Patch Survey: RI Voters Divided About Voting by Mail

PROVIDENCE, RI — Despite the pandemic, nearly half of Rhode Island voters said they plan to vote in person on Election Day, according to an informal survey by Patch.

The 559 people who responded to the survey were pretty evenly split about voting in-person versus by mail or via hand-delivered absentee ballot. Just under one half said that they plan to cast their ballot in person, while just over one quarter said they plan to entrust it to the U.S. Postal Service. Around 17 percent said they planned to use an absentee ballot that they would deliver to their local board of canvassers by hand.

The remainder, just under 8 percent, said they planned to vote early at their town or city hall.

Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea has been a vocal supporter of voting by mail, calling it a "safe and secure option, especially during this pandemic."

The practice has become a hot-button issue across the state this election season, with Republicans challenging the suspension of a requirement that absentee ballots be notarized with a signature or two witnesses.

The issue made it to the U.S. Supreme Court, which sided with state officials and left the suspension in place.

"Your health should never be the price of admission to our democracy," Gorbea said at the time of the decision. "Making it easier to vote safely from home by removing the burden of obtaining two witnesses or a notary is a common-sense step that will protect Rhode Islanders during this pandemic ... I thank the Supreme Court for delivering their decision in a timely manner and I look forward to delivering Rhode Islanders safe and secure elections they can trust."

Survey responses echoed the state divide, with nearly equal numbers saying they were either "highly confident" or "not at all confident" that voting by mail could be conducted in a safe, not fraudulent manner. The remainder, around 25 percent, fell somewhere in the middle.

One respondent said they planned to vote in person, but not for reasons connected to the pandemic.

"I will vote in person because I am not confident that my signature on file is going to match my current signature [because] I registered to vote almost 30 years ago," they said. "This election is too important to not have my vote count on a technicality. Unless you have successfully voted by mail previously or are extremely vulnerable to COVID-19, I would go to the polls in person."

Recent changes to the postal service, including eliminating overtime for workers and removing sorting machines, have led to reports of mail slowdowns and concerns about mail ballots getting to their destinations on time to be counted.

"My mail has slowed down!" one person wrote. "I am now watching [Postmaster general Louis] Devoy being questioned by Congress and he needs to be cleaning toilets! I will vote and mail my ballot early and hopefully be able to track it."

Still, the majority of respondents, nearly 60 percent, said they have not noticed any changes to their mail delivery service.

Rhode Islanders have until Oct. 4 to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election, and can request a ballot by mail until Oct. 13. More information is available on the Secretary of State's website.