Rhode Island Voter ID Now Required

Secretary Mollis reminds voters that Rhode Island’s VOTER ID law is in full effect, and the Woonsocket Special Primary will require valid Photo ID Woonsocket Special Primary first election of 2014 to Require Full Photo ID

PROVIDENCE, RI — Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis is reminding voters that in the upcoming Woonsocket election, only a photo ID will be accepted at the polls in any primary and/or election. «The concern that fraud could occur at the polls undermines the public’s faith in the outcomes of our elections. VOTER ID ensures that poll workers can validate the name that voters give them when they obtain their ballots at the polls, and this protects the rights of all Rhode Island voters,” said Mollis. The first election of 2014 is the Woonsocket Special Primary for Representative District 49 scheduled for Tuesday, January 21, 2014. Rhode Island law now requires voters to show a proper photo ID in order to vote by regular ballot, however, if a registered voter does not possess a photo ID, they cannot be turned away at the polls. They have the right to a provisional ballot, and should be given one at their polling location.

Some types of photo ID include:

• RI driver’s license

• U.S. Passport

• ID card issued by an U.S. educational institution

• U.S. military identification card

• State of RI or U.S. government-issued ID card

Any registered voter who does not have a valid photo ID can obtain a FREE Voter ID card at the following locations.