PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Rhode Island Board of Elections has unanimously approved a plan to start releasing mail ballot counts at 11 p.m. on election night.

Board Chairman Robert Rapoza said the move approved Monday was made because of the large number of mail-in ballots prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

After the initial count, a second count will be released on Nov. 4, and a third count will be released once all mail ballots are counted.

The fourth and final count will be released Nov. 10, a week after the election.

Usually, the board waits until all mail ballots had been tabulated to add them to the publicly-reported vote totals.