§ 17-9.1-7. Registration at the division of motor vehicles — Additional agencies.
(a) Every person applying at the division of motor vehicles for a driver's license or
a renewal of the license, or personal identification document issued by the division
of motor vehicles, and who is or may be by the next general election qualified to
vote, shall be registered to vote, or if previously registered, be afforded the opportunity
to change their address for voting purposes.
(b) The application to register to vote must be offered simultaneously with the application
for the driver's license or renewal of it or personal identification document. Division
of motor vehicles employees must provide to applicants for driver's licenses, license
renewal, or personal identification documents the same level of assistance and instruction
with respect to the application to register to vote as is provided with respect to
the application for driver's licenses, renewal of the license, or personal identification
documents; provided, that one signature may be sufficient on the application for driver's
license, renewal of the license, or personal identification document and the application
to register to vote. The applicant shall be afforded the opportunity to decline to
register to vote. If previously registered, the applicant shall be afforded the opportunity
to change his or her address for voting purposes. In order to protect the privacy
of those who do not wish to register to vote for any reason, the failure of an applicant
for a driver's license or renewal of it or a personal identification document to register
to vote may not be used for any purposes other than to determine the person's voter
registration status.
(c)(1) The voter registration application shall contain the registrant's name, residence
address, mailing address if different from residence address, date of birth, and registrant's
signature and date of affixation of signature, and may include any other information,
certifications, and declarations, including those made under the penalty of perjury,
that may be required by the state board in order to administer a single and unified
system of voter registration in accordance with applicable state and federal laws
that shall enable duly registered voters to vote in all elections in their respective
voting districts including, elections for federal officers. The voter registration
application must also include, in print identical to that used in the attestation
portion of the form, the following:
(i) The penalties provided by law for submitting a false voter registration;
(ii) A statement that, if the applicant declines to register to vote, his or her decision
will remain confidential and be used only for voter registration purposes; and
(iii) A statement that, if the applicant does register to vote, information regarding the
office or branch of the division of motor vehicles to which the application was submitted
will remain confidential, to be used only for voter registration purposes.
(2) It shall be the responsibility of the division of motor vehicles to print and to have
available at all times a sufficient number of voter registration forms in order to
carry out the provisions of this section.
(d) The completed voter registration application shall be transmitted by the division
of motor vehicles to the central voter registration system mandated pursuant to §â€‚17-6-1.2 not later than the next business day after the date of acceptance by the division
of motor vehicles. Transmission shall be made by electronic means as prescribed by
the secretary of state, and shall be in an electronic form compatible with the voter
registration system maintained by the secretary of state.
(e) Any person who has fully and correctly completed an application to register to vote
at the division of motor vehicles is presumed to be registered as of the date of the
acceptance of the registration by the division of motor vehicles, subject to verification
of the registration by the local board as provided in §â€‚17-9.1-25.
(f) Pursuant to §â€‚17-9.1-11, the division of motor vehicles shall not transmit the voter registration of any
applicant who fails to certify that they are a citizen of the United States.
(g) If a person who is ineligible to vote becomes registered to vote pursuant to this
section, that person's registration shall be presumed to be deemed officially authorized
and not be deemed attributable to or the fault of that person. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, anyone who knowingly and willfully provides false information pursuant
to this section shall be subject to prosecution under §â€‚17-9.1-12.
(h) The state board of elections shall have the authority to adopt regulations to implement
and administer the provisions of this section, including all registrations taken at
the division of motor vehicles.
(i)(1) In accordance with Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, 52 U.S.C. §â€‚20506, other applicable state government agencies that the secretary verifies already collect
documents that would provide proof of eligibility, including age, citizenship, and
residence address, may follow the procedures for automatic voter registration enumerated
for the division of motor vehicles as described in subsections (b) through (d) of
this section.
(2) Any additional agencies that are designated for automatic registration must follow
the rules and protocols established in this section for the division of motor vehicles.
(j) Effective date. The provisions of this section shall take effect thirty (30) days after the administrator
of the division of motor vehicles certifies in writing to the general assembly that
the Rhode Island motor vehicle licensing system (RIMS) computer system is capable
of meeting the requirements set forth in this act. The administrator of the division
of motor vehicles shall consult with the secretary prior to making this determination
about the computer system.