PROVIDENCE, RI – Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea is reminding Rhode Islanders that the deadline to submit mail ballot applications for four upcoming special elections is Tuesday, April 13. Mail ballot applications must be received by election officials by 4 p.m. on April 13, not postmarked. Special elections are scheduled in four Rhode Island communities for May 4, 2021:
•Coventry – Town Council, District 4 (one vacant seat) •South Kingstown – Special Referendum Election, one question totaling $85 million •West Greenwich – Town Council (one vacant seat) •Westerly – Special Referendum Election, two questions totaling $13 million
Eligible residents will have three safe and secure options for casting their ballot in these special elections: voting from home with a mail ballot, voting early in-person at town hall, or voting at the polls on May 4.
"If you want to vote from home but haven't submitted your mail ballot application yet, please drop off your application instead of mailing it to make sure it arrives on time," Secretary Gorbea urged voters. "You can return your mail ballot application to your local board of canvassers, place it in the secure election drop box located in your community, or use the drop box at the Board of Elections at 2000 Plainfield Pike in Cranston or the drop box at my office at 148 West River Street in Providence."
Rhode Island voters who have difficulty reading or marking their ballot may still vote from home with an accessible mail ballot by checking the appropriate box on their mail ballot application. All polling places will also be equipped with accessible voting equipment.
Early in-person voting for each special election runs from Wednesday, April 14 through Monday, May 3. Voters who wish to cast their ballot at the polls on May 4 can find their polling place on Secretary Gorbea's website.
Sample ballots for each special election with candidates and full referenda questions are available on vote.ri.gov. Voters can also contact their local board of canvassers for more details on the special election in their community.
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