Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea is reminding Rhode Island voters who requested a mail ballot for the March 2 statewide special election that all ballots must be received by the Board of Elections or placed in a secure elections drop box by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2. Ballots postmarked on or before March 2 but received after the deadline will not be accepted.
“If you haven’t returned your special election mail ballot yet, don’t risk having it arrive late by mail,” said Secretary Gorbea in a statement. “Using a secure elections drop box is now the best way to ensure your mail ballot is received in time to be counted.”
Secure drop boxes are located in every city and town in Rhode Island. Voters can use any drop box to return their mail ballot. Voters can use Secretary Gorbea’s drop box finder to find the one closest to them, and track the status of their mail ballot online at vote.ri.gov.
Mail ballots can also be dropped off in person at your local board of canvassers. Addresses and contact information for local boards of canvassers are available on vote.ri.gov. Voters are encouraged to contact their local board of canvassers before dropping off a mail ballot in person, as business hours may vary during the pandemic.
Voting from home is one of three safe and secure options Rhode Islanders have for casting a ballot in the March 2 special election. Voters also have the choice of voting early in-person or voting at the polls on Election Day. If a voter plans to vote in person but is suddenly unable to, for example because of an unexpected quarantine, they should contact their local board of canvassers to obtain an emergency mail ballot. Learn more about each of these voting options and read each of the special election bond questions in detail at vote.ri.gov.