Why It Matters
Rhode Island’s election infrastructure has historically relied on minimal formal training for the local officials who run municipal voting operations. A new joint certification program aims to close that gap — and its first graduating class includes an administrator whose sharp eye helped expose a signature forgery scandal that reached the state’s congressional delegation.
What Happened
Rhode Island held an inaugural graduation ceremony Thursday for 67 election administrators who completed the state’s new Election Training and Certification Program, a joint venture between the Board of Elections and the Department of State. The program launched in January 2025 and ran for roughly 18 months.
Secretary of State Gregg Amore addressed the graduates, telling them, “The people in this room are the backbone of our democracy.” John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, underscored why local knowledge matters: “The way elections are run in Rhode Island, the rubber meets the road in the 39 municipalities.”
Among the graduates is Keith Ford, canvassing board clerk for the Town of Jamestown. Ford was the official who identified forged signatures on nomination papers submitted by Sabina Matos during the 2023 First Congressional District special election. The subsequent investigation led to criminal convictions for two campaign workers, though Matos herself was never charged or found to have played any role in the forgery.
Another graduate, Marcy Alves, registrar for the Town of Coventry, oversaw a special election for two Town Council seats in August 2025 while still working through the certification coursework — putting newly acquired skills to immediate use.
By the Numbers
The program consists of 13 classes totaling 34 hours of instruction. Prior to its launch, election workers received only a single three-hour virtual seminar ahead of statewide and presidential primaries — a fraction of the new program’s scope.
- 67 officials completed the full certification
- 70 additional participants attended at least some classes
- 39 municipal canvassing boards operate across Rhode Island
- $6,000 total cost to administer the curriculum, split between the Board of Elections and the Department of State
- 13 classes / 34 hours of required coursework
What the Curriculum Covered
The program went well beyond procedural election mechanics. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s office provided an overview of the Open Meetings Act, and the state Ethics Commission led a session on the ethics code applicable to public officials. The curriculum also included courses on cybersecurity and physical security — including an active shooter drill — reflecting the broader security environment that election workers increasingly navigate.
Newport elections administrator Hugh Moren was among those completing the program alongside colleagues from across the state’s 39 municipalities.
Zoom Out
Rhode Island’s push for standardized election administrator training reflects a national trend. Following the contested 2020 election cycle and subsequent scrutiny of election administration procedures, numerous states have moved to formalize training requirements for local officials who manage voting infrastructure. Rhode Island’s program is notable for its relatively low cost — $6,000 for the full curriculum — suggesting the model could be replicated in other small states with decentralized election systems.
The forgery incident involving Matos’ 2023 nomination papers also highlighted the real-world consequences of well-trained local officials. Ford’s identification of the irregularities before the election proceeded demonstrated the type of front-line oversight that state officials say the new certification program is designed to strengthen.
What’s Next
With the inaugural class now certified, the Board of Elections and Department of State are expected to open enrollment for a second cohort. Officials have not yet announced specific dates, but the program’s structure — 13 sessions over roughly a year and a half — suggests future classes could launch on a rolling basis. Whether the General Assembly will provide additional oversight or funding mechanisms for the program remains to be seen as Rhode Island’s legislative session continues.