Audio slide show: path to victory

Congregants at the First AME Church celebrate Barack Obama’s election as president. The church sponsored an event called “From Dream to Reality: An Election Night Watch Party.”  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Bob Knoke, of Mission Viejo, Amanda Stanfield, of Monrovia, Jim Domen, of Yorba Linda, and J.D. Gaddis, of Yorba Linda, celebrate returns for Proposition 8 at an Irvine hotel.  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Carina Pena and Jenny Swiatowy of Santa Monica console each other as returns show Prop 8 leading early Wednesday morning.  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County Supervisor-elect Mark Ridley-Thomas arrives at his victory party to the cheers of supporters at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tears and hugs prevail after Barack Obama’s victory speech as voters watch a television monitor at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Barack Obama volunteers erupt in jubilation after being told to stop calling voters as it becomes clear that he had defeated John McCain.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Married couple Lissa Buzzelli, left, and Martha Jimenez celebrate upon hearing that Barack Obama won the presidential election during a gathering of those in favor of Proposition 8 at the Music Box in Hollywood.  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Art Torres, chairman of the California Democratic Party, pumps up Barack Obama supporters at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza as promising results pour in from the presidential campaign.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

The crowd reacts to Barack Obama’s televised speech during a party for Proposition 8 supporters at the Music Box in Hollywood.  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Residents in the Leimert Park area of L.A.’s Crenshaw district celebrate Barack Obama’s election as president.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Sisters Selah Darden, 12; Clarah, 11; Havilah, 9; and Tabithah, 7, from left, of Fullerton sing against a big screen TV awaiting the Proposition 8 returns at a hotel in Irvine.  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Tracy Gore and other volunteers for Barack Obama, working in a phone bank room at the Hyatt Regency Century City, celebrate as promising results pour in from the presidential campaign, including victories in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Lawrence Tolliver, far right, owner of L. Tolliver’s Barber Shop, cheers for an Obama win in Ohio. He gathered with friends to watch the election returns.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

At Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro, Lillee Ambro, 7, watches as her mother, Rebecca, finishes voting in her first election. “She’s seeing how important it is and the pride that Rebecca has taken in using her voice,” said Lillee’s father, Ron, center. “It’s something I hope she carries with her the rest of her life; the idea that if you don’t vote, you really don’t have a right to gripe.”  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Santa Monica residents cast their votes at the Church at Ocean Park.

.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Victoria Christensen offers cookies to voters waiting in line at the Los Angeles Sentinel in the Crenshaw district.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

A voter picks up a ballot at A-1 All American Roofing Co. polling place in Carson. The polling place had 230 voters by lunchtime.  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Kayla Truong, 5, and her brother Ethan Truong, 2, look out of a voting booth at the American Legion in Midway City while their mother Kimberly Nguyen casts her vote.  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Jeff Cowell’s dog yawns during the long wait for his master to finish voting at the 7-Degrees Gallery in Laguna Beach.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Poll worker Herdon Shelnut helps fellow poll worker Jerry Roby, 64, vote from a gurney before he is taken to the hospital by ambulance. Roby lost consciousness as he was passing out ballots at Compton Airport. Before firefighters took him out, Roby’s fellow poll workers pulled the gurney up to a ballot machine so that he could vote.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Voters line up to casts their ballots at Solid Rock Boxing in East Los Angeles.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Two brothers Ronald, 9, and Noah Perez, 4, wait as their mother Maria Mejia casts her vote at a polling station set up in a Montebello furniture store.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger heads toward the voting booth at Kenter Canyon Elementary school in Brentwood.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at Crenshaw Christian Center in Los Angeles.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Ariel Kohanim, 3, waits as her mother votes in a fire station in Encino.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Lucky Cooper, 62, said he wanted to make sure he got his vote in, so he showed up at 6:30 am. “In my heart, i think there will be a change now,” he said. “My vote is for hope for the younger generation.” Cooper was one of about 15 voters lined up in front of the Watts Towers polling place early this morning.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Several dozen people wait to cast ballots at the Sponto Gallery in Venice Beach.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Beth Allyn displays her sticker after voting at Sponto Gallery in Venice Beach.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Poll workers Mark Osborne, right, and Odessa Jiles hang an American flag in front of the polling place at Transfiguration Catholic Church in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Poll workers post directions to Transfiguration Catholic Church in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Mary Rutherford-Johnson votes with her son, Aaron Nasir, 23, at Mr. Baker’s Style Center Barber Shop in Long Beach.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Michael Steele, 17, a volunteer from Reid High School, posts a voting sign near Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. and Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Voters cast their ballots at Allure Rug Gallery in Sherman Oaks.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)