Pa. Electoral College helps make Obama presidency official

Pennsylvania’s Electoral College members have made November’s election results official by casting their votes for Barack Obama for president.

The 20 people, including Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who took part Monday were indirectly chosen by Pennsylvania voters, but it was the Obama campaign that selected individual electors for the official count.

Gov, Tom Corbett says the meeting of the commonwealth’s 57th Electoral College is a celebration of the country’s government.

“I am a member of the Republican Party and you electors here are members of the Democratic Party. Your vote today was for a candidate of your party. This is a peaceful decision as compared to what we see in other countries,” he said. “And we should always have it that way.”

Other electors included state Treasurer Rob McCord and the Democratic leaders of the state House and Senate.

The vote was unanimous in choosing Obama for president and Joe Biden for vice president.

The votes will be sent to Washington to be opened in a joint session of Congress in January.