Are all states equal in the Electoral College?
Electoral votes are allocated among the States based on the Census. Every State is allocated a number of votes equal to the number of senators and representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation—two votes for its senators in the U.S. Senate plus a number of votes equal to the number of its Congressional districts.
What states apportion their electoral votes?
As of 2008, Nebraska and Maine are the only states using the District Method of distributing electoral votes. Maine started using the method with the 1972 presidential elections and Nebraska started using the method during the election of 1992.
Which states are winner-take-all?
Voters in each state choose electors by casting a vote for the presidential candidate of their choice. The slate winning the most popular votes is the winner. Only two states, Nebraska and Maine, do not follow this winner-take-all method. In those states, electoral votes are proportionally allocated.
Does the Electoral College have to vote with the popular vote of their state?
There is no Constitutional provision or Federal law that requires electors to vote according to the results of the popular vote in their States. Some States, however, require electors to cast their votes according to the popular vote.
What two states are not winner-take-all states?
Only two states, Nebraska and Maine, do not follow this winner-take-all method. In those states, electoral votes are proportionally allocated. Can a candidate win the electoral vote, but lose the popular vote? Yes.
Which states assign all their electoral college votes to the popular vote?
All but two states (Maine & Nebraska) assign all their Electoral College votes to the winner of the popular vote in that state—regardless of the margin of victory. For example, in the last election: Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump by just 45,000 votes in Minnesota, winning 46.4% to 44.9%.
How does electoral representation compare across states?
Still, another way to view electoral representation is to see how the distribution of electoral votes compares to the distribution of eligible voters among states. When determined according to the voting-eligible population nationwide, electoral representation looks a bit more equal across states.
How many electoral votes does the US have?
The total of 538 electoral votes is fixed, but how these votes are distributed between states can change as a result of the decennial Census. Every 10 years, the results of the Census determine how seats in the House of Representatives are apportioned, and states may gain or lose electoral votes accordingly.
What is the Electoral College and how does it work?
In this system, known as the Electoral College, each state gets the same number of electors as it has members of Congress — one for each member in the House of Representatives and one for each of the state’s two senators. This means that each state is guaranteed a minimum of three electors, regardless of population size.