PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 12, 2008) -- Five presidential hopefuls will find out where they will appear on November’s ballot this afternoon at the State House and the public is invited.
Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis has scheduled a ballot placement lottery for 5 p.m. in the State Room. The Secretary of State's office will use a machine borrowed from the R.I. Lottery to determine the order in which the third-party presidential candidates will appear on the ballot in the state’s November 4 election.
Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party, Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party, Ralph Nader of the Independent Party, Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party and Gloria La Riva of the Socialism & Liberation Party amassed enough signatures to appear on the November ballot along with Barack Obama and John McCain.
By state law, third-parties appear on the ballot after Rhode Island’s two recognized political parties. As a result of a ballot placement lottery held July 18, Democratic nominee Obama will appear first on the ballot and Republican nominee McCain will appear second.
In a scene familiar to Rhode Islanders who watch the state’s daily lottery numbers selected on television, each candidate will be assigned a numbered, white plastic ball. Candidates will appear on the ballot in the order that the balls float to the top of the machine.