Projo Politics Blog

More than 180 Rhode Island residents are vying for a chance to cast the state’s official votes for president at the presidential conventions.

The Secretary of State’s Office has certified that 184 residents have collected the 150 signatures needed to get their name on the March 4 primary ballot.

Leading the way are candidates seeking to serve as delegates for Mike Huckabee, with 41 certified who want to cast their vote for the Republican at the September convention in St. Paul, Minn.

As for Democrats, Hillary Clinton led with 31 looking for a seat at the Democratic presidential convention in Denver this August, including former Providence Mayor Joseph Paolino. Also in the Democratic aisle, former Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty is vying for Barack Obama, and Governor Carcieri for Mitt Romney.

On the Republican side, other notable candidates for delegate spots are Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian for Rudolph Guiliani and House Minority Leader Bob Watson for John McCain.

On Feb. 1, Secretary of State Ralph Mollis holds a lottery at the State House to determine the order that the names will appear on the ballot.

On March 4, Democratic voters will elect 13 delegates and 4 alternates to their convention. Republicans will elect 17 delegates and 17 alternates.

In all, the Republicans will have 20 delegates and Democrats will have 32. The difference is made up by rules related to demographic make up that aim to ensure fair representation at the parties’ conventions.

There are also some delegate appointments mandated by job title. For example, Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline is a delegate by virtue of his being the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors -- a post to which he was elected at the group's winter meeting this week.

See all the names and numbers of potential delegates on the secretary of state’s Web site.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

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