Rhode Island General Laws Title 17. Elections § 17-19-3.2. Polling place accessibility for voters who are disabled or elderly

(a) Every polling place shall be situated in a building that can be entered and exited by persons who are disabled or elderly.

(b) “ Persons who are disabled” for the purpose of this section means a serious impairment of mobility.

(c) “Elderly” as used in this section means a person who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older.

(d) The state board of elections shall establish guidelines as to the accessibility of buildings to voters who are disabled or elderly. The state board of elections is empowered to grant, upon the application of the board of canvassers, an exception permitting it to maintain a polling place in a nonconforming building. An exception shall only be granted when the board of canvassers demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the board of elections, that there is no public building within the voting district which meets the requirements of this section or which can be brought into compliance by a reasonable expenditure of funds. If a conforming building is unavailable within the voting district, the board of elections shall provide to the board of canvassers an alternative method or an alternative location outside the voting district for persons who are disabled or elderly and request in advance of the election an alternative means of casting their ballot on election day.