Rhode Island § 17-20-30 - Mail Ballots

§ 17-20-30. Penalty for violations.

(a) Any person who knowingly makes or causes to be made any material false statement in connection with his or her application to vote as a mail voter, or who votes or attempts to vote under the provisions of this chapter, by fraudulently signing the name of another upon any envelope provided for in this chapter, or who, not being a qualified voter and having knowledge or being chargeable with knowledge of the fact, attempts to vote under this chapter, or who votes the ballot of another voter, or who deliberately prevents or causes to prevent the mail ballot to be received by the voter or to be returned to the board of elections, or who deceives, coerces, or interferes with the voter casting his or her ballot, and any person who does or attempts to do, or aid in doing or attempting to do, a fraudulent act in connection with any vote cast or to be cast under the provisions of this chapter, shall be guilty of a felony.

(b) Any person who, having received a mail voter’s ballot and having voted or not voted the mail ballot, votes or fraudulently attempts to vote at any elective meeting within the state held on the day for which the ballot was issued shall be guilty of a felony.

(c) Any officer or other person who intentionally opens a mail voter’s certified envelope or examines the contents before the envelope is opened by the board of elections, as provided in this chapter, shall be guilty of a felony.

(d) The offenses in this section shall be punishable by imprisonment of not more than ten (10) years and/or by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).