PROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 31, 2009) – When hundreds of new Americans are sworn in as U.S. citizens this Monday morning in Providence, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis plans to register them to vote too.
Mollis staffers will be at Veterans Memorial Auditorium when the citizenship ceremony begins at 8 a.m. ready to turn every person who takes the Oath of Allegiance to the United States into a registered voter. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services expects to swear in about 350 new citizens.
“A record 700,000 Rhode Islanders were registered last year. That’s nearly 90 percent of the eligible Rhode Islanders. Our growth will come from reaching out to newly eligible groups like naturalized citizens,” said Mollis.
While Mollis will focus on new Americans Monday morning, any member of the public can register or update his or her voter registration on Monday. In order to register, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Rhode Island and at least 18 years of age on Election Day 2010.
Monday’s registration effort is just one example of the outreach Mollis has stressed since being elected. He also sends his staff into the state’s high schools and colleges to help Rhode Island students register to vote.
Mollis oversees many aspects of federal, state and municipal elections held in Rhode Island. His office also publishes guidebooks that include important dates in the election cycle as well as outline how to run for office and how to register to vote.
Secretary of State Mollis is committed to making it easier 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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