Electoral College vote affirms Obama re-election

[WestVirginiaRebel]

AP:

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Tradition trumped suspense Monday as members of the Electoral College cast the official, final votes in the 2012 presidential election, a constitutional formality on President Barack Obama's march to a second term.

The rite playing in state capitols involved party luminaries and tireless activists carrying out the will of each state's voters. The popular vote from state-to-state dictates whether Democratic or Republican electors get the honor, but the outcome wasn't in doubt. Obama had well more than the 270 votes required to win the White House.

Obama was on course to get 332 votes to Republican Mitt Romney's 206, barring defectors known as "faithless electors." California's 55 electoral votes - the largest cache in any state - helped put the Democratic president over the top by late Monday afternoon. Electors also were affirming Joe Biden for another term as vice president.

"Everybody votes for president, but nobody gets a real vote except a presidential elector," said elector Mike Bohan of Oregon, which was in Obama's column.

Ceremonies around the country had their share of pomp and electors in red, white and blue ties. Wisconsin's electors donned pin-on buttons with headshots of the president. A bit of controversy erupted in Arizona, where a few electors voiced doubts that Obama was "properly vetted as a legitimate candidate for president" by raising debunked claims about his birth certificate.

In New Hampshire, electors supporting Obama signed their four ballots and then certificates that were sealed in envelopes with wax that has been in the secretary of state's office for more than 70 years.

"It's been a long haul for all of us," said state Secretary of State Bill Gardner, alluding to New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary that sparked intense campaigning there for more than a year.

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Final formalities.