In Rhode Island’s primary elections Tuesday, Fewer than 25 voters lacked the necessary identification and were allowed to cast provisional ballots, according to a survey of polling places in 25 cities and towns conducted by Secretary of State Ralph Mollis, a Democrat. “The rollout of voter identification went as smoothly as we could have hoped,” Mollis spokesman Chris Barnett said. Maria Bell, a worker at a polling place in Pawtucket, said voters told her they like the new law… “People don’t mind at all. This should have been done years ago.”
During what amounts to a practice round for the state’s contested voter ID law, poll workers are requesting to see voters’ photo ID at check-in, but the ID isn’t mandatory until the general election in the fall.
In the weeks before Tuesday’s primary, Mollis’ office handed out hundreds of free voter IDs at senior centers, homeless shelters and community centers around the state. Barnett said the effort will continue through the fall election.
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