IWAKUNI, Japan - As of Wednesday, news stations across the world projected President Barack Obama to remain commander-in-chief for a second term.
State legislators select electors for their respective states. Citizens of the respective state then cast their vote on how they want their electors to vote. Electors then vote for the presidential candidates based off of the results. Each state has a unique way of doing this.
Electoral votes are cast the first Monday following the second
Wednesday in December. Votes are then sealed and transferred to the Senate.
The Senate then opens the votes and reads them before the House of Congress on Jan. 6. Following the readings, the president elect is sworn into office Jan. 20 by the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
This means even though Obama is slated to remain the president, he is not officially sworn in until Jan. 20, 2013.
After the election numbers projected Obama as the winner, he spoke to a crowd of supporters in Chicago.
“Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come.”
President Obama also spoke about the future of the country and his plan with moving forward.
“America, I believe we can build on the progress we've made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunity and new security for the middle class. I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you are willing to work hard, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn't matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.”
While it isn't official yet and won't be until Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts swears President Obama in for a second term of office, servicemembers can expect to have President Obama remain the commander in chief for the next four years.