By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) — The Pennsylvania state House chamber was the scene today as the state’s presidential electors gathered to officially cast their votes for president of the United States.

“The electors of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have cast 20 votes for the Honorable Barack Obama…”

Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter served as vice-president of Pennsylvania’s assembly of electors.

(Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter.)

“So today, we are gathered here to make history and to the fulfill the requirements of the Constitution of the United States of America,” the mayor (right) told the gathering.

Allegheny County lawyer Clifford Levine served as president for the gathering and used the opportunity to criticize proposals to end Pennsylvania’s winner-take-all practice of awarding electoral votes.  Pennsylvania’s large block of electoral votes makes the state a valuable prize in presidential politics.

“We must not diminish the voice of Pennsylvania’s voters on the national stage,” he said.

The majority leader of the state Senate is behind a proposal to award Pennsylvania’s electoral votes on a proportional basis.