[JURIST] Following up on a report this morning in JURIST's Paper Chase, Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate have halted Congress' formal certification of the electoral college results and have forced a two-hour debate on problems encountered in the Ohio presidential vote after a challenge. This is only the second time since 1877 that such a challenge has been brought forward. The Democratic challange was presented on the House floor during the joint vote-counting session by Ohio Democrat Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Watch the House debate live here and the Senate debate live here.

5:30 PM ET – As expected, the challengers in the House and Senate have been voted down after debate (the House vote was 31-367 and the Senate vote was 1-74); and the final electoral vote giving President Bush an official victory has been approved. The certified count for the Office of President of the United States, George W. Bush–286; John. F. Kerry–251; John Edwards 1; and for the Office of Vice President of the United States, Dick Cheney–286; John Edwards–252.