How do states get their number of votes in the electoral college?

Answer 1

The number of electors that a state is allotted is determined by the number of Representatives and Senators that each state sends to Washington. (That number, in turn, is decided by each state's population and can change every ten years when new U.S. census results are determined.) Because the constitution guarantees each state at least two senators and one representative, each state is also guaranteed a minimum of three electoral votes.

Most states have a winner-takes-all rule, which gives all of the electoral votes from that state to the winner of the popular vote in that state. Two states, Nebraska and Maine, divide their electoral votes. However, there is no federal law which requires the electors to vote according to the popular vote of their state and, on occasion, there have been instances of electors breaking faith with voters to vote against the popular vote of their state.

In order to win the presidency, a candidate must win 270 electoral votes. If any single candidate fails to receive the minimum 270 votes, then the House of Representatives will elect the president from the three most popular candidates. The Senate elects the vice president from the two most popular candidates.

Answer 2

The number of electoral votes a states gets is equal to the number of representatives it gets in the House plus two. The number of representatives is determined by the population- greater population means more congressmen. The number of representatives is revised every ten years after each census- the total remains fixed at 435.

Answer 3

Each state gets as many electoral votes as they have senators and representatives in congress. Each state has at least 3 votes, 2 senators and 1 representative. The remaining number of representatives are divided among the states based upon the results of the most recent census, taken every ten years. The District of Columbia is given 3 electoral votes despite having no senators. It is the only one of 5 districts* given any votes for president.

*American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands do not get votes despite each having a non voting member of congress, the same as DC.

Answer 4

Each state is awarded the same number of electors as its total of senators ( always two) and its number of Congressmen ( determined by the state's population) When people may think they are voting for a president, they are actually voting to choose that state's electors. The candidates for electors are chosen by their parties and pledge in advance to vote for their party's nominee.

Most state have a winner-take-all system-- the party with the most votes elects all of its electors and they all vote the same way in the electoral college. Two states split their electors according to the split of the votes.

Answer 5

Electoral votes are based on each state's population since the latest census, which determines the number of people representing the state in Congress. For instance, Georgia's population increased significantly enough that the state gained an additional congressman and electoral vote after the 2010 census. As a result, Georgia now has two U.S. senators and 14 congressmen for a total of 16 electoral votes.

A candidate must win 270 of the country's overall 538 electoral votes to become president.

Answer 6

Each state has electoral votes equal to the total of the 2 representative the state has in the U.S. Senate plus the number of representative the state has in the House of Representatives. Since every state has two senators and at least one representative to the House, every state has at least 3 electoral votes. The District of Columbia gets 3 electoral votes. Therefore, the total number of electoral votes is 538 - 100 (senators) + 435 (representatives) + 3 (for DC).

Answer 7

Each state has electoral votes equal to the total of the 2 representative the state has in the U.S. Senate plus the number of representative the state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. The District of Columbia gets 3 electoral votes. Therefore, the total number of electoral votes is 538 - 100 (senators) + 435 (representatives) +3 (for DC).

Answer 8

On the Monday following the second Wednesday of December of every fourth year including 2016, each state's appointed electors assemble within their state to cast their votes for President and Vice President. Each elector votes by ballot for one person for President and by separate ballot for one person for Vice President. The two people for which the elector votes cannot both be residents of the same state as the elector. The assembled electors then make a list of everyone who received at least one vote for President and how many votes each person received, and they make a separate list of everyone who received at least one vote for Vice President and how many votes each person received. All of the assembled electors sign both lists, which are also known as Certificates of Vote, after which they are sealed and delivered to the President of the Senate to be counted before a joint session of Congress on the following January 6th. Copies are also sent to the National Archivist and the state's Secretary of State.

The people who get appointed by the state as electors are those who have pledged their votes to the candidates who won the popular vote in their state. 533 of the appointments are based on statewide popular votes, and each of the other 5 appointments is based on districtwide popular votes in one of the five congressional districts in Maine and Nebraska. (D.C. is called a state in this context.)

Answer 9

because they vote for the candidate