§ 17-9.1-8 Registration at designatedagencies. – (a) Every person who is or may be by the next general election qualified tovote may register to vote when being discharged from incarceration or whenapplying for services or assistance at any of the following offices:
(1) Any office in the state that provides public assistance;
(2) At or through any offices in the state that provide statefunded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons withdisabilities;
(3) At armed forces recruitment offices, subject toprocedures developed by the state board in cooperation with the United StatesDepartment of Defense;
(4) At or through the department of corrections; and
(5) At any other agencies within the state that shall bedetermined by the state board.
(b) Voter registration agencies designated by the state boardmay include, but are not limited to:
(1) State or local government offices such as publiclibraries, public schools, offices of city and towns clerks (including marriagelicense bureaus), fishing and hunting license bureaus, government revenueoffices, unemployment compensation offices, and offices not described insubdivision (a)(2) of this section that provide services to persons withdisabilities; and
(2) Federal and nongovernmental offices, with the agreementof those offices.
(c) Persons must be provided this opportunity to register tovote not only at the time of their original application for services, but alsowhen filing any recertification, renewal, or for a change of address relatingto those services. Agencies providing voter registration assistance must offerthe same degree of assistance to individuals in completing a voter registrationform as they offer to individuals in completing the agency's own forms, unlessthe applicant refuses the assistance.
(2) Any person who provides voter registration assistanceservices in an agency is prohibited from:
(i) Seeking to influence an applicant's party preference orparty registration;
(ii) Displaying any political preference or party allegiance;
(iii) Making any statement or taking any action whose purposeor effect is to discourage the applicant from registering to vote; or
(iv) Making any statement or taking any action whose purposeor effect is to lead the applicant to believe that a decision whether or not toregister has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits or ondischarge from incarceration.
(d) Those who decline to register to vote must do so inwriting or by failing to check a box on a form containing the question: "If youare not registered to vote where you live now, would you like to apply toregister to vote here today? yes or no".
(2) The declination may be included in the agency applicationfor services or on a separate form provided by the agency, subject to rules andregulations to be adopted by the state board.
(3) No information regarding a person's declination toregister to vote may be used for any purpose other than voter registration. Ifan individual does register to vote, the particular agency at which theapplicant submits a voter registration application may not be publiclydisclosed.
(4) The declination form to be used at agencies providingpublic or publicly funded assistance shall also contain the followingstatements and information:
(i) "Applying to register or declining to register to votewill not affect the amount of assistance that you will be provided by thisagency"; or, for those forms made available by the department of corrections."Applying to register or declining to register to vote will not affect yourdischarge from incarceration";
(ii) "If you do not check either box, you will be consideredto have decided not to register to vote at this time." (with "yes" and "no"boxes being provided);
(iii) "If you would like help filling out the voterregistration application form, we will help you. The decision whether to seekor accept help is yours. You may fill out the application form in private";
(iv) "If you believe that someone has interfered with yourright to register or to decline to register to vote, your right to privacy indeciding whether to register or in applying to register to vote, or your rightto choose your own political party or other political preference, you may filea complaint with the State Board of Elections, 50 Branch Avenue, Providence,Rhode Island 02904, (401) 222-2345, (401) 222-2239 TDD";
(v) A statement that if the applicant declines to register tovote, his or her decision will remain confidential and be used only for voterregistration purposes; and
(vi) A statement that if the applicant does register to vote,information regarding the agency to which the application was submitted willremain confidential, to be used only for voter registration purposes.
(e) The registration form to be provided in these agenciesshall be the mail registration form adopted by the state board. Unless theregistrant refuses to permit the agency to transmit the form to the state boardor local board where the applicant resides, the agency shall transmit thecompleted registration form to the state board or any local board. However, ifthe registrant refuses, the registrant may either mail the form to the stateboard or any local board or may provide for delivery of the form to the stateboard or any local board either in person or through a third party. It shall bethe responsibility of all state or state funded agencies to have available atall times a sufficient number of voter registration forms in order to carry outthe provisions of this section.
(2) Unless the applicant refuses to permit the agency totransmit the completed voter registration form to the state board or to a localboard, the agency shall be required to transmit the registration form withinten (10) days after acceptance, or if accepted on the last day or within five(5) days before the last day to register for an election, within five (5) daysof acceptance.
(f) The department of corrections and each agency designatedby the board to register persons to vote when applying for services orassistance shall report to the state board:
(1) The number of persons applying for services andassistance or the number of persons discharged from incarceration followingfelony convictions who are eligible to vote;
(2) The number of persons who have been registered to vote atthat agency;
(3) The number of forms that have been transmitted by theagency to the state or local board; and
(4) The number of persons who have declined to register tovote at that agency. Reports to the state board by each designated agency shallbe on a quarterly basis.
(g) Any person who has fully and correctly completed anapplication to register to vote at a designated agency is presumed to beregistered as of the date of the acceptance of the registration by thedesignated agency, subject to verification of the registration by the stateboard or any local board as provided in § 17-9.1-25.
(h) If a voter registration agency which is primarily engagedin providing services to persons with disabilities provides those services atthe person's home, the agency shall provide the voter registration servicesauthorized by this section at the person's home.
(i) The state board of elections shall have the authority toadopt regulations to implement and administer the provisions of this section,including all registrations taken at designated agencies.
(j) In cases where the findings required by subdivision17-6-1.2(a)(4) have been made, transmission shall be made by electronic meansas prescribed by the secretary of state, and shall be in an electronic formcompatible with the voter registration system maintained by the secretary ofstate.
§ 17-9.1-8 Registration at designatedagencies. – (a) Every person who is or may be by the next general election qualified tovote may register to vote when being discharged from incarceration or whenapplying for services or assistance at any of the following offices:
(1) Any office in the state that provides public assistance;
(2) At or through any offices in the state that provide statefunded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons withdisabilities;
(3) At armed forces recruitment offices, subject toprocedures developed by the state board in cooperation with the United StatesDepartment of Defense;
(4) At or through the department of corrections; and
(5) At any other agencies within the state that shall bedetermined by the state board.
(b) Voter registration agencies designated by the state boardmay include, but are not limited to:
(1) State or local government offices such as publiclibraries, public schools, offices of city and towns clerks (including marriagelicense bureaus), fishing and hunting license bureaus, government revenueoffices, unemployment compensation offices, and offices not described insubdivision (a)(2) of this section that provide services to persons withdisabilities; and
(2) Federal and nongovernmental offices, with the agreementof those offices.
(c) Persons must be provided this opportunity to register tovote not only at the time of their original application for services, but alsowhen filing any recertification, renewal, or for a change of address relatingto those services. Agencies providing voter registration assistance must offerthe same degree of assistance to individuals in completing a voter registrationform as they offer to individuals in completing the agency's own forms, unlessthe applicant refuses the assistance.
(2) Any person who provides voter registration assistanceservices in an agency is prohibited from:
(i) Seeking to influence an applicant's party preference orparty registration;
(ii) Displaying any political preference or party allegiance;
(iii) Making any statement or taking any action whose purposeor effect is to discourage the applicant from registering to vote; or
(iv) Making any statement or taking any action whose purposeor effect is to lead the applicant to believe that a decision whether or not toregister has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits or ondischarge from incarceration.
(d) Those who decline to register to vote must do so inwriting or by failing to check a box on a form containing the question: "If youare not registered to vote where you live now, would you like to apply toregister to vote here today? yes or no".
(2) The declination may be included in the agency applicationfor services or on a separate form provided by the agency, subject to rules andregulations to be adopted by the state board.
(3) No information regarding a person's declination toregister to vote may be used for any purpose other than voter registration. Ifan individual does register to vote, the particular agency at which theapplicant submits a voter registration application may not be publiclydisclosed.
(4) The declination form to be used at agencies providingpublic or publicly funded assistance shall also contain the followingstatements and information:
(i) "Applying to register or declining to register to votewill not affect the amount of assistance that you will be provided by thisagency"; or, for those forms made available by the department of corrections."Applying to register or declining to register to vote will not affect yourdischarge from incarceration";
(ii) "If you do not check either box, you will be consideredto have decided not to register to vote at this time." (with "yes" and "no"boxes being provided);
(iii) "If you would like help filling out the voterregistration application form, we will help you. The decision whether to seekor accept help is yours. You may fill out the application form in private";
(iv) "If you believe that someone has interfered with yourright to register or to decline to register to vote, your right to privacy indeciding whether to register or in applying to register to vote, or your rightto choose your own political party or other political preference, you may filea complaint with the State Board of Elections, 50 Branch Avenue, Providence,Rhode Island 02904, (401) 222-2345, (401) 222-2239 TDD";
(v) A statement that if the applicant declines to register tovote, his or her decision will remain confidential and be used only for voterregistration purposes; and
(vi) A statement that if the applicant does register to vote,information regarding the agency to which the application was submitted willremain confidential, to be used only for voter registration purposes.
(e) The registration form to be provided in these agenciesshall be the mail registration form adopted by the state board. Unless theregistrant refuses to permit the agency to transmit the form to the state boardor local board where the applicant resides, the agency shall transmit thecompleted registration form to the state board or any local board. However, ifthe registrant refuses, the registrant may either mail the form to the stateboard or any local board or may provide for delivery of the form to the stateboard or any local board either in person or through a third party. It shall bethe responsibility of all state or state funded agencies to have available atall times a sufficient number of voter registration forms in order to carry outthe provisions of this section.
(2) Unless the applicant refuses to permit the agency totransmit the completed voter registration form to the state board or to a localboard, the agency shall be required to transmit the registration form withinten (10) days after acceptance, or if accepted on the last day or within five(5) days before the last day to register for an election, within five (5) daysof acceptance.
(f) The department of corrections and each agency designatedby the board to register persons to vote when applying for services orassistance shall report to the state board:
(1) The number of persons applying for services andassistance or the number of persons discharged from incarceration followingfelony convictions who are eligible to vote;
(2) The number of persons who have been registered to vote atthat agency;
(3) The number of forms that have been transmitted by theagency to the state or local board; and
(4) The number of persons who have declined to register tovote at that agency. Reports to the state board by each designated agency shallbe on a quarterly basis.
(g) Any person who has fully and correctly completed anapplication to register to vote at a designated agency is presumed to beregistered as of the date of the acceptance of the registration by thedesignated agency, subject to verification of the registration by the stateboard or any local board as provided in § 17-9.1-25.
(h) If a voter registration agency which is primarily engagedin providing services to persons with disabilities provides those services atthe person's home, the agency shall provide the voter registration servicesauthorized by this section at the person's home.
(i) The state board of elections shall have the authority toadopt regulations to implement and administer the provisions of this section,including all registrations taken at designated agencies.
(j) In cases where the findings required by subdivision17-6-1.2(a)(4) have been made, transmission shall be made by electronic meansas prescribed by the secretary of state, and shall be in an electronic formcompatible with the voter registration system maintained by the secretary ofstate.
§ 17-9.1-8 Registration at designatedagencies. – (a) Every person who is or may be by the next general election qualified tovote may register to vote when being discharged from incarceration or whenapplying for services or assistance at any of the following offices:
(1) Any office in the state that provides public assistance;
(2) At or through any offices in the state that provide statefunded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons withdisabilities;
(3) At armed forces recruitment offices, subject toprocedures developed by the state board in cooperation with the United StatesDepartment of Defense;
(4) At or through the department of corrections; and
(5) At any other agencies within the state that shall bedetermined by the state board.
(b) Voter registration agencies designated by the state boardmay include, but are not limited to:
(1) State or local government offices such as publiclibraries, public schools, offices of city and towns clerks (including marriagelicense bureaus), fishing and hunting license bureaus, government revenueoffices, unemployment compensation offices, and offices not described insubdivision (a)(2) of this section that provide services to persons withdisabilities; and
(2) Federal and nongovernmental offices, with the agreementof those offices.
(c) Persons must be provided this opportunity to register tovote not only at the time of their original application for services, but alsowhen filing any recertification, renewal, or for a change of address relatingto those services. Agencies providing voter registration assistance must offerthe same degree of assistance to individuals in completing a voter registrationform as they offer to individuals in completing the agency's own forms, unlessthe applicant refuses the assistance.
(2) Any person who provides voter registration assistanceservices in an agency is prohibited from:
(i) Seeking to influence an applicant's party preference orparty registration;
(ii) Displaying any political preference or party allegiance;
(iii) Making any statement or taking any action whose purposeor effect is to discourage the applicant from registering to vote; or
(iv) Making any statement or taking any action whose purposeor effect is to lead the applicant to believe that a decision whether or not toregister has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits or ondischarge from incarceration.
(d) Those who decline to register to vote must do so inwriting or by failing to check a box on a form containing the question: "If youare not registered to vote where you live now, would you like to apply toregister to vote here today? yes or no".
(2) The declination may be included in the agency applicationfor services or on a separate form provided by the agency, subject to rules andregulations to be adopted by the state board.
(3) No information regarding a person's declination toregister to vote may be used for any purpose other than voter registration. Ifan individual does register to vote, the particular agency at which theapplicant submits a voter registration application may not be publiclydisclosed.
(4) The declination form to be used at agencies providingpublic or publicly funded assistance shall also contain the followingstatements and information:
(i) "Applying to register or declining to register to votewill not affect the amount of assistance that you will be provided by thisagency"; or, for those forms made available by the department of corrections."Applying to register or declining to register to vote will not affect yourdischarge from incarceration";
(ii) "If you do not check either box, you will be consideredto have decided not to register to vote at this time." (with "yes" and "no"boxes being provided);
(iii) "If you would like help filling out the voterregistration application form, we will help you. The decision whether to seekor accept help is yours. You may fill out the application form in private";
(iv) "If you believe that someone has interfered with yourright to register or to decline to register to vote, your right to privacy indeciding whether to register or in applying to register to vote, or your rightto choose your own political party or other political preference, you may filea complaint with the State Board of Elections, 50 Branch Avenue, Providence,Rhode Island 02904, (401) 222-2345, (401) 222-2239 TDD";
(v) A statement that if the applicant declines to register tovote, his or her decision will remain confidential and be used only for voterregistration purposes; and
(vi) A statement that if the applicant does register to vote,information regarding the agency to which the application was submitted willremain confidential, to be used only for voter registration purposes.
(e) The registration form to be provided in these agenciesshall be the mail registration form adopted by the state board. Unless theregistrant refuses to permit the agency to transmit the form to the state boardor local board where the applicant resides, the agency shall transmit thecompleted registration form to the state board or any local board. However, ifthe registrant refuses, the registrant may either mail the form to the stateboard or any local board or may provide for delivery of the form to the stateboard or any local board either in person or through a third party. It shall bethe responsibility of all state or state funded agencies to have available atall times a sufficient number of voter registration forms in order to carry outthe provisions of this section.
(2) Unless the applicant refuses to permit the agency totransmit the completed voter registration form to the state board or to a localboard, the agency shall be required to transmit the registration form withinten (10) days after acceptance, or if accepted on the last day or within five(5) days before the last day to register for an election, within five (5) daysof acceptance.
(f) The department of corrections and each agency designatedby the board to register persons to vote when applying for services orassistance shall report to the state board:
(1) The number of persons applying for services andassistance or the number of persons discharged from incarceration followingfelony convictions who are eligible to vote;
(2) The number of persons who have been registered to vote atthat agency;
(3) The number of forms that have been transmitted by theagency to the state or local board; and
(4) The number of persons who have declined to register tovote at that agency. Reports to the state board by each designated agency shallbe on a quarterly basis.
(g) Any person who has fully and correctly completed anapplication to register to vote at a designated agency is presumed to beregistered as of the date of the acceptance of the registration by thedesignated agency, subject to verification of the registration by the stateboard or any local board as provided in § 17-9.1-25.
(h) If a voter registration agency which is primarily engagedin providing services to persons with disabilities provides those services atthe person's home, the agency shall provide the voter registration servicesauthorized by this section at the person's home.
(i) The state board of elections shall have the authority toadopt regulations to implement and administer the provisions of this section,including all registrations taken at designated agencies.
(j) In cases where the findings required by subdivision17-6-1.2(a)(4) have been made, transmission shall be made by electronic meansas prescribed by the secretary of state, and shall be in an electronic formcompatible with the voter registration system maintained by the secretary ofstate.
