Rhode Island voters have until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, to cast a ballot in the general election. Polling places opened at 7 a.m. in most communities, with New Shoreham opening at 9 a.m., according to the Department of State's final voting reminders.
The state directs voters to vote.ri.gov to look up their assigned polling place. That is a different task from finding results later in the evening: the Department of State publishes turnout information, but says it does not report election results. The Board of Elections provides the state's results link.
Mail ballots must reach the Board of Elections by 8 p.m. on Election Day. The Department of State says voters can return them through a secure elections drop box, at the Board of Elections or their local board of canvassers, or in person at a polling place on Election Day.
Early voting ended Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. Tuesday voters should look up their Election Day polling place rather than assume it matches an early-voting site.
All state offices except the Elections Division are closed Tuesday, according to the Department of State. The Elections Division is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and voters can call 401-222-2340 for information. The department says regular state-office business hours resume Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 8:30 a.m.
For election-night viewing, begin with the source and the timestamp. A turnout total describes participation; it does not tell readers which candidate is ahead. A results table answers a different question. The Board of Elections homepage links to the Nov. 3 general-election results, while vote.ri.gov is the state-directed resource for turnout and voter information.
Treat television projections, campaign statements and government results as distinct kinds of information. A campaign's declaration is its own statement. A news organization's call is its judgment. For the numbers behind a Rhode Island contest, use the Board of Elections' published results.
Department of State voting reminders | Department of State office notice | Board of Elections results link | Voter information and turnout
