About 2.4% of eligible voters had already cast early ballots in the Sept. 10 primary election as of Friday afternoon. (Getty image)
Rhode Island’s 2024 primary elections are Tuesday, Sept. 10. Here’s what to know before going to the polls:
When are polls open?
7 a.m. to 8 p.m. — except in New Shoreham, where polls open at 9 a.m. If you are waiting in line at 8 p.m., you will be able to vote. A list of early voting locations can be found here.
How do I find my polling site?
Voters can find their polling place online here.
What’s on the ballot?
Three of Rhode Island’s congressional seats are up for election this year — with only one contested primary.
U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) faces a challenge from Michael J. Costa, a former Republican who briefly ran for governor in 2022. On the Republican side, State Rep. Patricia Morgan of West Warwick faces off against former Warwick City Administrator Raymond T. McKay.
Incumbent Democratic U.S. Reps. Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner are running unopposed in their respective primaries, as are their Republican challengers — Allen Waters and Steven Corvi.
Rhode Island’s senior senator, Democratic U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, is not facing reelection until 2026.
There aren’t too many contested primaries for the General Assembly, given that nearly half of the 113 races — 57 — feature an incumbent running unopposed in both primary and general elections.
Cranston, Pawtucket and Woonsocket each have contested mayoral races.
Is it too late to send in my mail-in ballot?
At this point with the primary just days away, the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s office discourages mailing your ballot. If you have your mail-in ballot, you have until 8 p.m. Tuesday to drop it off at your local Board of Canvassers or at designated drop-boxes in your municipality. A list of dropbox sites can be found here.
You can also bring voted mail ballots to your local polling place on Primary Day.
I have not registered to vote, is there still time?
No, sorry, that deadline was Aug. 11. You can still vote in the Nov. 5 general election if you register by Oct. 6.
What’s needed to vote?
Voters will be asked to show a valid photo ID. If you do not bring an acceptable photo ID when voting in person, you will vote with an emergency mail ballot.
If you do not bring an acceptable photo ID to the polls, you may cast a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots will then be returned to the local Board of Canvassers where election officials will determine if you have already cast a mail ballot or if the provisional ballot should be counted.
I am an independent. How do I vote?
Unaffiliated voters can vote in either party’s primary, but automatically become affiliated with either the Democrats or Republicans for that election. In past elections, independents would have to fill out paperwork to disaffiliate after casting their primary ballot.
But thanks to a new law the state passed this year, independent voters will automatically return to their prior status as unaffiliated following the primary.
How many voters are eligible to vote in this year’s election?
A total of 719,1712 Rhode Islanders are eligible to vote in this year’s primary election, according to the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s office. Of those, 38% are registered as Democrats, 14% are Republican, and 47% are unaffiliated.
As of 4:30 p.m. Friday, the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s office reported 19,110 Rhode Islanders had voted either by mail or early in person. That represents 2.4% of eligible voters.
In the April presidential preference primary, 5% of registered voters cast ballots.
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