Washington ? Two Democratic lawmakers raised a rarely used objection Thursday to delay Congress’ certification of the 2004 presidential election results, but they ultimately succumbed to a bipartisan tide eager to put the election behind them.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, challenged the results of Ohio’s presidential vote, interrupting what was otherwise a congressional formality of verifying the Electoral College’s votes.

Their objection, only the second such step in more than a century, forced the House of Representatives and the Senate to set aside two hours to debate their challenge, though it never put George W. Bush’s victory in doubt.

In the end, the Senate rejected their challenge by 74-1 and the House voted it down 267-31. Afterwards, Vice President Dick Cheney presided over a joint session of Congress to conclude the official electoral vote count — 286 for Bush, 251 for Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and one vote for Kerry’s running mate, John Edwards, D-N.C. The Federal Election Commission hasn’t compiled an official popular-vote total, but according to an unofficial tally by The Associated Press, Bush received 60,608,582 votes to Kerry’s 57,288,974.

Activists have challenged the Ohio results, claiming that polling-place delays, long lines and statistical analyses indicated that some Ohio voters may not have had their votes counted and others may have been turned away. Bush won Ohio by 118,000 votes, according to official tallies, but critics say that vote irregularities could have affected that result and thus changed the outcome.

Boxer maintained Thursday that she filed her objection to initiate a discussion about changes to election law, not to challenge the legitimacy of Bush’s victory over Kerry, who didn’t join her effort.

“Everyone knows that the election is over,” Boxer said. “It’s not about overturning the election. To me, it’s the opening round, for me personally, in the battle for electoral justice.”