PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Dec. 15, 2008) -- Rhode Island’s record-setting year in presidential politics officially ended today when the state’s four presidential electors voted unanimously for President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.
“This was the culmination of a year-long journey that has engaged Rhode Islanders as no election ever has. The entire state can take pride in what they have achieved,” said Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, who presided over the meeting of Rhode Island's Electoral College.
The historic ceremony began at noon when a military honor guard escorted Mollis, the state’s four presidential electors, Governor Carcieri, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and other dignities to the House Chamber, where the event took place.
Unexpectedly strong demand by the public for seats forced Mollis to move the ceremony from the State Room – where the event traditionally takes place -- to the larger House Chamber. In addition, Mollis arranged for Capitol TV to televise the ceremony live on Channel 15 on Cox Communications and Full Channel and on Verizon's Channel 34.
By federal law, electors representing the political party of the candidate who wins the popular vote for president in each state officially elect the president and vice president by casting votes on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.
Democrat Obama and his running mate Biden outpaced candidates from 6 other parties to win Rhode Island with 63.1 percent of the vote in November’s election.
Selected by the state Democratic Party, Rhode Island’s presidential electors were state Sen. Maryellen Goodwin of Providence, state Rep. Charlene Lima of Cranston, John J. McConnell Jr. of Providence and Mark S. Weiner of East Greenwich.
More than 475,000 votes were cast in November’s election, breaking the record set in 1992. In addition, Rhode Island set new highs in the number of registered voters with more than 701,000 and in primary turnout, when more than 213,000 voters cast ballots in the March presidential primary.
Title 3, Chapter 1 of the U.S. Code outlines the Electoral College process. Each state has a number of electors equal to the number of representatives and senators it has in Congress. The Electoral College will meet in every state and the District of Columbia today to cast ballots for president and vice president.
On Jan. 6, 2009, at 1 p.m., the vice president of the United States will preside over a joint session of Congress. The certificates from the electors of each state will be opened in alphabetical order by state and read aloud to Congress.
After the votes are counted, the vice president will announce the results and will call for any objections. All objections must be made in writing and include the signature of at least one representative and one senator. If there are no objections and one candidate for president and one candidate for vice president have received at least 270 of the 538 Electoral College votes, November’s election results will, finally, be official.
Secretary of State Mollis is committed to making it easier for Rhode Islanders to vote, helping businesses grow and making government more open and accessible. For more information about the programs and services the Secretary of State offers Rhode Islanders, visit www.sec.state.ri.us.
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