NEW: Secretary of State Announces Final Slate for RI Pres. Primary
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Rhode Island voters will have six candidates to choose from when they hit the voting booths on primary day. Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis just announced that one Democratic candidate and five Republicans have qualified to run in Rhode Island’s presidential primary on April 24.
Only President Obama will be running on the Democratic ballot, but Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, former Louisiana governor Buddy Roemer, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum will all be on the Republican ballot.
In order to qualify to appear on the ballot, presidential hopefuls had to submit the signatures of at least 1,000 eligible Rhode Island voters, and toady was the deadline for the Secretary of State’s office to finish certifying the validity of the signatures.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“One indication that Rhode Islanders are taking this primary seriously is the number of signatures that were collected. In 2008, only Paul had more than 3,000. This year, three candidates exceeded that mark,” said Mollis. “We certified more than 15,000 signatures in all."
Romney led all candidates with 3,320 certified signatures, followed by Gingrich with 3,124, Paul with 3,081, Santorum with 1,687 and Roemer with 1,491. President Obama’s campaign submitted 2,403 valid signatures, topping the 2,017 he collected in 2008. Republicans Mark Callahan of Oregon and Texas Governor Rick Perry, who suspended his campaign earlier this year, failed to reach the 1,000 signature mark.
April 24’s presidential primary will be the first test of the state’s new Voter ID law, requiring voters to provide an ID such as a R.I. driver’s license or social security card before receiving a ballot.
"Voter ID strengthens the public’s faith in the integrity of our elections by ensuring poll workers can match a face to the name voters give them. The simple act of asking for ID protects the rights of every voter," said Mollis.
The next important dates on Rhode Island’s presidential primary calendar are Feb. 22 and 23, when voters who want to be delegates from the state at this summer's Democratic or Republican presidential conventions must file official Declarations of Candidacy.
To learn more about the programs and services the Secretary of State offers Rhode Islanders, visit sos.ri.gov.
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