Congress confirms Obama's re-election victory
Updated: 2013-01-05 10:41
(Xinhua)
|
||||||||
WASHINGTON - The US Congress on Friday formally counted the Electoral College ballots and confirmed President Barack Obama's reelection victory.
The official count in Congress, which is required by the Constitution, affirmed Obama's 332 to 206 win in Electoral College ballots over Republican candidate Mitt Romney. 270 ballots are required to win the presidency.
Congressional staff pass along the vote certificate for the state of Maryland during a joint session of Congress held to certify the electoral college results and deem President Barack Obama the next US president in the Capitol in Washington Jan 4, 2013. [Photo/Agencies] |
US Vice-President Joe Biden presided over the joint session of the House and Senate in the House chamber. Biden handed certificates on the electoral votes of each state to four members of the House and Senate who served in turn as the readers.
After receiving the vote totals, Biden read them out and declared that his announcement "shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected president and vice-president of the United States, each for the term beginning on the 20th day of January, 2013."
The current US presidential election system features the electoral college. US voters cast their ballots for a slate of electors of the US Electoral College, who in turn elect the president and vice president.
Under the Constitution, each state is allocated a number of Electoral College electors equal to the number of its Senators and House Representatives in the US Congress. The District of Columbia is given three electors.
Obama will take the oath of office for a second term later this month. Three days of events, from January 19 to January 21 will be organized by the Presidential Inaugural Committee in celebration.
Related:
THE WEEK Nov 9: US election finally ends
Obama's re-election can help European stability
Re-elected Obama faces complex ties with China
Phew, the US election's finally over
Obama wins second term, challenges await
- Li Na on Time cover, makes influential 100 list
- FBI releases photos of 2 Boston bombings suspects
- World's wackiest hairstyles
- Sandstorms strike Northwest China
- Never-seen photos of Madonna on display
- H7N9 outbreak linked to waterfowl migration
- Dozens feared dead in Texas plant blast
- Venezuelan court rules out manual votes counting
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
American abroad |
Industry savior: Big boys' toys |
New commissioner
|
Liaoning: China's oceangoing giant |
TCM - Keeping healthy in Chinese way |
Poultry industry under pressure |
Today's Top News
Live report: 7.0-magnitude quake hits Sichuan, heavy casualties feared
Boston suspect cornered on boat
Cross-talk artist helps to spread the word
'Green' awareness levels drop in Beijing
Palace Museum spruces up
First couple on Time's list of most influential
H7N9 flu transmission studied
Trading channels 'need to broaden'
US Weekly
Beyond Yao
|
Money power |