Barack Obama is the re-elected President of the United States, according to projections broadcast to an enthusiastic Times Square crowd at 11:30 p.m. Obama was declared the winner over Republican Mitt Romney, for another four years in office as the 44th President. Television networks announced that he had won the key states of Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania, even as the popular vote showed Romney with a razor-thin lead — and even though Romney would wait over an hour before calling the President to concede.

As the announcement came in, people in Times Square started screaming, dancing and chanting “USA.”

Ginnette Lajoie traveled from Rockland County to watch election night coverage in Times Square. The former fashion designer-turned -student was estatic when the Reuters screen read “Obama re-elected.” “I’m feeling great,” said Lajoie. “I anticipated for him to win and finish what he started. He laid the foundation. He needs to finish his work!”

Lajoie’s friend, Shirley McKnight agreed. “Because of Obama I became a Democrat,” said McKnight, a writer and fashion designer. “I was always independent but for him, I’ll be Democrat.” A resident of the upper west side, McKnight volunteered at P.S. 166 on East 86 Street until the polls closed at 9 p.m. “I’m numb right now!” she exclaimed. “I worked the election today, and now I’m re-energized.”

Votes from other states continued to be counted. At 12:15 a.m., Obama was projected to have won 281 electoral votes, and Romney, 203, though the calculations continued to be adjusted every few minutes, as more of the popular vote came in.