Democrat Barack Obama Monday officially won North Carolina's presidential vote Monday, in an electoral college ceremony that made up with history and emotion what it lacked in suspense.

The 15-members of the state’s Electoral College met in the Old House Chambers in the Capitol at noon — at the same time that similar groups were meeting in  the nation’s other 49 state capitals to choose a new president, Rob Christensen reports.

There was no suspense to the outcome. All 15 members were required by law to vote for Obama as a result of Obama’s narrow victory over Republican John McCain by a 49.7 to 49.3 percent last month.

But moment was packed with powerful emotions, as electors cast ballots to help make Obama the nation’s first president of black descent. The event packed not only the House chambers, but the overflow crowd nearly filled the nearby Senate chambers as well.

Virginia Tillett, an elector from Manteo and an African-American, urged the crowd to "remember the voices from your past."

Tillett, a 67-year old Dare County commissioner, said she remembered the voices saying "to hang in there...change is coming."

"I remember my grandmother who lived to be 89 years old," Tillett said later in an interview. "I heard people like my  deceased father-in-law who lived to be 100. I heard voices like my mother who is now 87. I heard all these voices say: 'Didn't I tell you?'"

Tar Heel Democrats next week will next week have their first opportunity in a generation — to cast their electoral ballots for president.

The 15 electors will gather in the Capitol on Monday at noon — along with members of the Electoral College across the country — to cast their ballot for Democrat Barack Obama for president, Rob Christensen reports.

This will be the first time since 1976 that Tar Heel Democrats can participate. That was the last time that a Democrat carried the state — Jimmy Carter.

The electors were chosen by the state Democratic Party from each of the state's Congressional districts and for its two Senate seats.

Those participating will be former U.S. Attorney Janice Cole of Hertford, Louise Sewell of Smithfield, Virginia Tillett of Manteo, former state legislator Linda Gunter of Cary, Timothy Futrelle of Boone, Wayne Abraham of Greensboro, Armin Jancis of Warsaw, Wendy Wood of Concord, Michael Cognac of Marvin, Dan DeHart of Morganton, Harley Caldwell of Waynesville, Samuel Spencer of Davidson, Patricia Hawkins of Raleigh, David Crawford of Mount Airy, and Kara Hollingsworth of Fayetteville.

State law has required electors to vote for the candidate who wins the popular vote since Dr. Lloyd Bailey of Rocky Mount angered Republicans in 1968 when he cast his ballot for American Party presidential candidate George Wallace instead of Republican Richard Nixon.