WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 1961 (UPI) -- John F. Kennedy's election as president was made official today by the man he defeated for the nation's highest office. The presidential electoral votes were counted at a joint session of the House and Senate, and it was Richard M. Nixon's job as vice president to announce the results.
On the basis of popular votes the Kennedy-Nixon race was one of the closest in history and right up to the 11th hour it was uncertain whether the final count would give Kennedy 300 or 303 of the 537 electoral votes.
On the basis of a corrected result in Hawaii, the tally was:
For Kennedy and his running-mate, Lyndon B. Johnson, 303 votes; for Nixon and his running mate, Henry Cabot Lodge, 219 votes; for Sen. Harry Flood Byrd of Virginia, 15 votes for president, with 14 for Sen. Strom Thurmond as vice president and one vice-presidential ballot for Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.).
The only step left to the presidency is the inauguration. That comes on Jan. 20.
