Rhode Island Regulations § 410-RICR-20-00-25.4 Drop Box Requirements and Locations

A. A Drop Box shall be established in each city and town in the State of Rhode Island, and outside the Office of the Board of Elections and the Election Division, Office of the Secretary of State, and to the extent feasible shall be located prominently and in close proximity to the entrance at the exterior of the city or town hall building in each community, taking into account the accessibility requirements of § 1.4 (D) of this Part. Additional Drop Boxes may be established at specified locations within a community upon the approval of the Board of Elections. The Drop Box may, for cause shown, be established inside a city or town hall building but only if it is placed in the vicinity of the office of the local board of canvassers and the building remains open and accessible to the public throughout the prescribed time period prior to Election Day and until the close of the polls at 8:00 P.M. on Election Day and provided further that prominent signage be displayed outside of the municipal building that notifies the public of the existence and location of the Drop Box. The Drop Box may be established outside an alternate location within the city or town upon request of the local Board and, for good cause shown, upon approval of the State Board.

B. Each Drop Box shall be tamper-proof and the Drop Box shall use a slot opening that is capable of receiving mail and emergency ballots within the Sealed Certification Envelopes. The opening of the Drop Box shall not be capable of receiving any larger item, including any package or material that could damage any deposited ballot. If the Drop Box is outside, it must be securely fastened to the ground and also be designed to protect deposited ballots from any outside elements, including rainwater.

C. Each Drop Box and immediate surrounding area shall be monitored by a video surveillance camera. Unless otherwise permitted by the Board, the surveillance camera shall be in operation twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week at all times that the Drop Box is in use during an election. Recorded footage must be stored for a minimum of ninety (90) days.

D. The location of the Drop Box and the slot opening must be accessible to any person with a disability, and be at a height that permits the deposit of a ballot from the height of a wheelchair.

E. The Drop Box shall be clearly and visibly marked, as a "State of Rhode Island Official Ballot Drop Box for Mail Ballots. Ballots must be deposited here no later than 8 P.M. on Election Day unless the voter is in line to deposit his or her ballot at 8 P.M." Each Drop Box shall also display the official seal of the Board of Elections.

F. The Drop Box shall also notify the voter that no postage is required when depositing the ballot into the Drop Box and that each ballot must be deposited within the Sealed Certification Envelope provided to the voter.