R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-19-39.1: Voted ballot storage and security.

(a) Voted computer ballots that were counted at the state board shall be stored in containers by the state board until the expiration of twenty-two (22) months from the date of election and voted computer ballots that were voted and packaged at a local precinct or counted at the local board shall be held and stored in containers by the local board in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the state board until the expiration of twenty-two (22) months from the date of election. The voted ballots shall remain stored in the appropriate containers unless ordered to be opened by the state board or a court of law. The computer file containing ballot layout information and candidate totals shall be transferred to a disk and retained permanently.

(b) Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, the state board shall have the authority to examine and inspect the voted ballots subsequent to the certification of an election.