Journal photo / Connie Grosch
Three of Rhode Island's four electors, plus other state officials, gather in the State House library before proceeding to the House Chamber for the vote today. From left, the electors are: Sen. Maryellen Goodwin, Rep. Charlene Lima, and John McConnell Jr. Second from right is McConnell's son, John. Gallery: See more photos from the R.I. Electoral College event.

By Cynthia Needham
Journal State House bureau

PROVIDENCE -- It's official. Rhode Island's four electors have cast their votes for President-elect Barack Obama and his vice president-elect, Joseph Biden Jr.

Today's noontime meeting of the state's Electoral College and others around the country was largely ceremonial, but full of pageantry.

The congressional delegation, along with Rhode Island's Democratic faithful and its GOP Governor Carcieri, flocked to the State House in unexpectedly large numbers to watch what they called a historic moment.

One by one, the electors chosen by the state Democratic party -- Sen. Maryellen Goodwin of Providence, Rep. Charlene Lima of Cranston, John J. McConnell Jr. of Providence and Mark S. Weiner of East Greenwich -- cast their votes for Obama and Biden, signing their own names on ornate, gold-wrapped ballots.

"Barack Obama's victory in November is just one more example of America's great heart and the great stride we have made as a people," said Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, who presided over the ceremony. "Even those who did not vote for [Obama] celebrated the statement his election made about America's capacity to walk the walk of our ideals. And that is what we celebrate here today."

Typically, the Electoral College event draws just a few dozen people, but this year's ceremony attracted more than 100 people -- so many that it had to be removed from its original location in the State Room to the House Chamber. An overflow room was also available to accommodate the crowds.

Three of Rhode Island's all-Democrat four-member congressional delegation were among those on hand: Reps. Patrick Kennedy and James Langevin and Sen. Jack Reed. The fourth member, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is on a fact-finding tour in the Mideast.

McConnell brought his 11-year-old son John to the House Chamber with him to cast his electoral ballot. "It's a historic day with the election of the first African-American president," McConnell said, "and I think it was important for John to have the opportunity to be right up front and see that and hopefully remember for the rest of his life that anyone can become president of the United States."

Federal law dictates that 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 today -- the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.

Obama and Biden easily won in Rhode Island, capturing more than 63 percent of the vote.

Now that the ballots have been signed and certified by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi, they will be escorted to the Providence Post Office by the state's postmaster to be sent on to Washington, D.C.

Electoral College votes around the country are being held today. On Jan. 6, the vice president of the United States will preside over a joint session of Congress in which the certificates from the electors of each state will be opened and read aloud. To win, a candidate must receive at least 270 of the 538 Electoral College votes.