A sheet-material transporting device includes a transporting belt configured to attract a sheet material and transport the sheet material along a transporting direction, the transporting belt including a plurality of electrodes arranged at predetermined intervals along the transporting direction, wherein the electrodes are sized and shaped extending in a direction intersecting the transporting direction; a pressing roller configured to press the sheet material against an attraction starting position of the transporting belt; and a charging unit configured to apply a voltage to the electrodes. The sheet-material transporting device is characterized in that the sheet material is attracted to the transporting belt after the leading edge of the sheet material is pressed against the transporting belt by the pressing roller, or the charging unit is configured such that the voltage is not applied upstream of a nip of the pressing roller in the transporting direction.