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Jan. 4, 2013 / 3:32 PM

It's official: Obama defeated Romney

Vice President Joseph R. Biden (L) looks on as President Barack Obama makes a statement in the White House Briefing Room following passage by the House of tax legislation on January 1, 2013 in Washington, DC. The House and Senate have now both passed the legislation, averting the so-called fiscal cliff. UPI/Brendan Hoffman/Pool

Vice President Joseph R. Biden (L) looks on as President Barack Obama makes a statement in the White House Briefing Room following passage by the House of tax legislation on January 1, 2013 in Washington, DC. The House and Senate have now both passed the legislation, averting the so-called fiscal cliff. UPI/Brendan Hoffman/Pool | License Photo

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- It's official: Barack Obama won a second term as president of the United States.

With Vice President Joe Biden presiding, the House of Representatives and Senate convened Friday in an hourlong joint session to count the electoral votes and declare the winners of the presidency and vice presidency, Roll Call reported.

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The states' certified vote certificates were delivered in mahogany boxes and read alphabetically by state in a process that took about 30 minutes, Roll Call said.

Obama and Biden collected 332 electoral votes -- well more than the 270 votes necessary to win -- to the 206 electoral votes delivered to the Republican ticket of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

Roll Call said the final popular vote tally indicated Obama collected 51.1 percent of the vote and Romney got 47.2 percent.

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