Voters have a number of options to choose from as they decide how to cast their ballot next month. With an upcoming general election on November 5, The Herald put together a comprehensive guide on how you can register to vote, request a mail-in ballot and find your polling location.
How do I register?
Rhode Island residents can register to vote online, by mail or in person. Residents must be at least 16 years old to register (but 18 to vote) and should have their driver’s license or Rhode Island state identification readily available.
Residents must register to vote no later than Oct. 6.
To register online, residents should visit the Voter Information Center, where they can input their personal information, address and party affiliation.
To register by mail, residents should download and complete the voter registration form and mail it to their local board of canvassers.
To register in person, residents should complete the voter registration form and bring a physical copy to their local board of canvassers.
Domestic students at Brown, 94% of whom hail from another state, can choose between voting in their home state and voting in Rhode Island. Percy Unger ’26, a civic engagement fellow at the Swearer Center and Brown Votes leader, suggested that students vote in the state where they “think (their) voice matters the most.”
Unger pointed to swing states as examples of places where individual votes may have more of an impact on election outcomes than in R.I., a mostly Democrat state.
She added that if students are choosing between voting in R.I. and another blue state, they should register for the state and community to which they feel more connected. That’s because they’ll also have the option to vote for city council and school board members in races that often have direct consequences for local communities.
How can I request a mail ballot?
Residents can request a mail ballot to vote in Rhode Island through the online mail ballot application, which must be filed no later than Oct. 15.
Students requesting a mail ballot to vote in their home state can find information on registration deadlines and ballot information on Brown Votes’ website.
Brown Votes recently installed a map in Page-Robinson with deadlines for voter registration in every state, Unger said. The organization also emailed all students Wednesday afternoon about registration deadlines and instructions in both their home state and R.I.
For students requesting a mail ballot to vote in their home state, Unger emphasized the importance of changing their mailing address to their Brown address so that they can receive their ballot.
Paper registration forms are available for the most common states that Brown students are from at the Sciences Library, the Rockefeller Library, the Sharpe Refectory and Page-Robinson, Unger said. The University will cover the cost of stamps, envelopes and other shipping costs for students mailing their elections-related paperwork.
When does early voting begin?
Starting Oct. 16, residents and students planning to vote in R.I. can cast their ballots early at designated early voting locations. Polling locations will open sometime between 8 and 9 a.m.
Where can I vote on Election Day?
On Election Day, all polling locations in the state will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the exception of the New Shoreham location, which will open at 9 a.m. Residents can confirm their voting location through the state’s Voting Information Center.
Unger noted that there will be a polling location at Faunce Arch on Election Day.
What about same-day voter registration?
In Rhode Island, residents who register on Election Day can only vote in the presidential election. Same-day voters “will not be able to vote in any state, local or other federal races,” according to the R.I. Department of State.
Residents must register and vote at the location designated by their local board of canvassers.
Avani Ghosh is a Metro Editor covering politics & justice and community & activism. She is a junior from Ohio studying Health & Human Biology and International & Public Affairs. She is an avid earl grey enthusiast and can be found making tea in her free time.
