5:10pm: The vote counters at news media across America are calling it - Democrat Barack Obama is the next President of the United States. The next President: Barack Obama Several media reports on projected Electoral College results have Obama on 297 votes, whereas he only needed 270 to win a majority. McCain is now polling 145, but on the arithmetic of it, Obama has won the US Presidency. The result will please US LGBT equality campaigners, as Obama is in favour of many pro-gay policies whereas his opponent John McCain was against them. Polls have now closed in California, and a result in that state's Proposition 8 referendum, which would outlaw same-sex marriage, is expected shortly. Early exit polls suggest the vote is extremely close. Video footage from Obama's acceptance speech appears below.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Wednesday, 5th November 2008 - 5:21pm