§ 17-20-6.1 - Alternative methods of voting by citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and other citizens residing outside the United States. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 17-20-6.1

   § 17-20-6.1  Alternative methods of votingby citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act(UOCAVA) and other citizens residing outside the United States. – (a) It is the intent and purpose that the provisions set forth in this sectionare designed to facilitate the federal mandate of the Uniformed and OverseasCitizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973ff et seq.

   (b) The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) may be used as arequest for an absentee ballot by:

   (1) A member of the armed forces who is absent from the stateby reason of being in active service;

   (2) Any person absent from the state in performance of"services intimately connected with military operations" as defined in §17-20-3(d);

   (3) Any person who is employed outside of the United Statesas defined in § 17-20-3(c); and

   (4) Any person who does not qualify under subparagraph (1),(2), or (3) above, but who is a citizen of the United States and absent fromthe state and residing outside the United States as described in chapter 21.1of title 17.

   (c) The single FPCA card shall permit the person to requestan absentee ballot for each primary and election through the next two (2)regularly scheduled general elections for federal office in which the voter iseligible to vote.

   (d) The FPCA card must be received by the local board ofcanvassers where the person last maintains his/her residence for votingpurposes within the time frame for applying for absentee ballots as set forthin this title.

   (e) If the FPCA, when used in accordance with this section,is sent by the voter through electronic transmission, it must be sent to thesecretary of state and it must be received by the secretary of state by thedeadline for applying for absentee ballots as set forth in this title. Thesecretary of state shall then forward the FPCA to the appropriate localauthority who shall immediately certify and return the FPCA to the secretary ofstate with the notation that the corresponding ballots shall be sent by mailand electronic transmission. The secretary of state shall transmit ballots onlyto the facsimile number provided by the Federal Voter Assistance Program. Theballots sent by electronic transmission shall be returned to the state board byelectronic transmission. These ballots will be counted at the state board inaccordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the state board.

   (f) The voter's signature on the FPCA does not need to bewitnessed or notarized, when the FPCA is submitted as provided in this section.

   (g) If a voter is casting a mail ballot received through theuse of the FPCA card as provided in this section, the voter's signature doesnot need to be witnessed or notarized on the certifying envelope used for thereturn of the voted mail ballot.