Until 2010, Rhode Island voter registration forms, like the voter registration forms of almost all other states that have registration by party, listed the qualified parties. Voters could choose one by checking a box. But in 2010, the Rhode Island Board of Elections deleted the names of the qualified parties, and just left a blank line for the voter to write in the name of a party.

However, on September 13, the Board reversed the 2010 decision, and the new forms will again list the qualified parties. They qualified parties in Rhode Island are Democratic, Republican, and Moderate. The Moderate Party is especially happy with this development, because whereas most people know about the two major parties, a substantial number of people are not aware of the Moderate Party.