Voter Registration Name Change in Rhode Island

A voter registration name change in Rhode Island is free and usually takes about five minutes. You can usually update online through the official Rhode Island voter registration page.

Update your registration after your Rhode Island driver's license shows your new name, since most registration forms ask for your current license number and the name on it.

Under the National Voter Registration Act ("motor voter"), updating your license at the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (RI DMV) usually offers to update your voter registration at the same time. Say yes and you may not need a separate step at all.

One warning: don't assume it worked. Confirmation can lag by weeks, and a mismatch between your ID and the poll book is exactly the kind of surprise you don't want on election day. Verify on the official Rhode Island page a couple of weeks after your DMV visit.

Voter registration updates (including name changes) must be submitted at least 30 days before an election. Note: if you update your name at the RI DMV, your voter record is typically updated automatically as well. The law: R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-9.1-3(a). Update well ahead of any upcoming election so your registration reflects your new name at the polls.

If an election is close and you've missed the update window, call your county election office. In many places you can still vote under your former name with your current registration, and some states offer same-day corrections. The rules vary, so ask before you skip voting.

• Your Rhode Island driver's license or state ID (ideally already showing your new name)
• Your current residential address
• The last four digits of your Social Security number (some forms)

There is no fee to update voter registration in any state. This step is also a good prompt to update your name with your county property records and jury-duty notices, which pull from the same rolls.