WASHINGTON (January 4, 2013)--Vice President Joe Biden presided over a Joint Session of Congress Friday as four members of the House and Senate took turns announcing the electoral votes tallied in state capitals last month.

The count showed President Barack Obama capturing 332 electoral votes, far more than the 270 required to win the presidency.

Republican challenger Mitt Romney received 206.

The constitutional formality certifying the vote lacked the suspense of the November election, but kept with tradition.

The results also affirmed Biden as vice president.

The final official vote from all 50 states and the District of Columbia showed Mr. Obama with 65,899,660 votes, or 51.1 percent, and Romney with 60,932,152 votes, or 47.2 percent.

Mr. Obama will be sworn in later this month.