The Rhode Island Democratic Party is currently in the process of choosing electors that will cast the party’s electoral votes in next month’s national election.

Rep. Joseph M. McNamara, a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives and chairman of the Rhode Island Democratic Party, said on Thursday that the party has spent the past few weeks reviewing applicants for the position.

“We knew we were looking for Democrats in good standing, and most of the individuals who applied are well-known individuals,” he said.

McNamara cited people who are elected officials in other areas as well as individuals who serve on national committees as among those that applied.

The party will choose four individuals to fill the role of the electors. McNamara said that those who were chosen for the position will be announced this week at a virtual convention the executive committee is currently planning.

Rhode Island has four Electoral College votes out of a total of 538 across the United States. A state’s Electoral College votes go towards the president and the vice president on the ticket that earned the states’ electoral votes. Rhode Island’s electoral votes will be awarded to whichever presidential candidate wins the state’s popular vote.

While both the Rhode Island Democratic Party and the Rhode Island Republican Party will choose electors for their respective party, the group of electors that represent the winning ticket in the state will cast their electoral votes. McNamara called the electoral votes “symbolic and critically important” for choosing the president of the U.S.

McNamara said that earlier last month, the party had an application period that was open until Sept. 18. He said the party sent out a newsletter to state democratic committee members and posted the application on the party’s website. Part of the application process was getting two letters of recommendation for those who seek the position, and McNamara and the party’s executive committee is now vetting those candidates. The chairman spoke highly of those that they have vetted.

“All of the applicants for the electors that the party has vetted were very impressive, a cross-section of elected officials, and party activists and proponents,” he said. “It was quite an outstanding group that anyone would be proud of to associate with.”

McNamara said there are a wide range of factors that they look for when choosing who will cast the party’s electoral votes. They want people who have promoted the efforts of the party as well as those who are actively involved in contributing to it in a variety of ways. He said the group is looking for candidates who reflected the diversity of the party members through ethnic, cultural, and philosophical differences.

With the 2020 election likely seeing an increase in mail-in voting due to COVID-19 concerns, there is a possibility the state’s popular vote results won’t be completely recorded within 24 hours. McNamara thinks this could lead to scrutiny across the board.

“I believe that there will be individuals and organizations out there who will be scrutinizing every aspect of this election from the citizens who participate, the recording of votes, the process that states go through in determining their electors,” he said. “Every aspect of this election will be placed under a microscope by individuals and organizations.”