Volunteer workers coordinator Yngrid De Los Santos examines voting lists at the Broad Street campaign office of the Dominican Revolutionary Party in support of presidential challenger Miguel Vargas.

The Providence Journal / Andrew Dickerman

PROVIDENCE –– Campaign offices along Broad Street were busy yesterday in anticipation of the presidential election. But the candidate’s names aren’t familiar to most Rhode Islanders because this particular election takes place today and voters must hold identity cards from the Dominican Republic.

Today’s election has six candidates for president with 24 political parties vying for votes. Two of the largest political organizations maintain permanent offices in the city and have opened temporary campaign offices as well.

Workers at local party offices estimate that more than 40,000 Dominicans live in Rhode Island, but only 2,300 are eligible to vote –– a seemingly trivial number compared to the 5½ million votes that will be cast.

Voting identity cards, issued by the government, are available in the Dominican Republic or at the consulate in Boston, making it necessary for would-be voters to lose at least a day of work –– which most families are reluctant to do.

“We’ve been working very hard for seven months,” said Yngrid De Los Santos in the Broad Street campaign office of the Dominican Revolutionary Party, whose presidential candidate is Miguel Vargas. Most of the volunteers arrive to make phone calls at 8 at night, after a day of work and meals with families.

Her assistant, Parminio Pacheco, said, “We’re trying to get 52 percent of the vote and believe we can do it.”

That percentage is more wishful than hopeful because with so many candidates, it’s probable that no candidate will win the 50-percent needed to prevent a runoff election.

A few blocks down Broad Street, Julian Volquez and Ramon Garcia sat on the front porch of the campaign office of the Dominican Liberation Party as they waited for more volunteers to arrive. Their candidate is incumbent President Leonel Fernandez and the banners and posters hanging around the building are larger and more colorful than those of his rivals.

Although political contests can get heated and sometimes violent in their former homeland, campaign workers here say they remain friendly.

The last couple of weekends saw rallies, parades and dance parties at the campaign offices, but after today’s vote, the doors will close for the last time.