Are you registered to vote?

September is National Voter Registration Month.

RI Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea

Each year, Secretaries of State across the U.S. celebrate National Voter Registration Month during the month of September. As your Secretary of State, I am dedicated to engaging and empowering all Rhode Islanders by getting them registered to vote and participating in the civic process.

The right to vote is the most important right granted to our citizens. It is the foundation of our democratic process. Yet, it is a right that is often taken for granted. In Rhode Island, there are approximately 249,000 eligible voters who are not yet registered to vote. The first step towards engaging all Rhode Islanders is ensuring that those who are eligible to vote are registered.

That's why I have been focused on increasing voter education and participation in our state. During the past legislative session, I introduced legislation to improve the integrity of the state's voter rolls and enable Rhode Islanders to securely register to vote online. Additionally, our Elections Division has held several voter information events across the state. We are also leading efforts to purchase state-of-the-art voting equipment (more on that below).

During National Voter Registration month please take a moment to register to vote if you haven't already done so. Encourage your friends, relatives and co-workers to do so as well. If you are registered to vote, click here to make sure that your information is accurate. It only takes a minute to do so.

It's time for all Rhode Islanders to play a part in building a brighter future for our state. That begins with registering to vote. For more information please visit: sos.ri.gov or call (401) 222-2340.