The map shows the breakdown of Electoral College votes in each state in the 2024 election

The Electoral College is used to determine the winner of presidential elections, but the number of college votes each state receives changes each year.

The Electoral College was created as a compromise between the election of the president by Congress and a popular vote by citizens. It was intended to balance the influence of smaller and larger states and serve as a buffer against a direct referendum.

Each state has a certain number of electors based on its congressional representation (senators plus representatives). There are a total of 538 electors in all states, and a candidate needs a majority – at least 270 electoral votes – to win the presidency.

In most states, electors are selected based on the popular vote within that state. The candidate who receives the most votes in a state typically receives all of that state's electoral votes (except in Maine and Nebraska, where their votes are apportioned by congressional district).

How many Electoral College votes are there in each state?

Which state has the most electoral votes?

The state with the highest number of votes in the Electoral College is California with 54 votes. The second largest is Texas with 40, followed by Florida with 30 and New York with 28.

California has been the largest college state since 1962. Before that, New York was the biggest.

What are the swing states in the 2024 election?

Michigan (15 votes): Michigan, one of the three Rust Belt states, was won by Donald Trump in 2016 and retaken by Joe Biden in 2020.

Wisconsin (10 votes): Wisconsin, the smallest swing state in the Midwest, was also won by Joe Biden in the last election.

Pennsylvania (19 votes): The Keystone State is the largest swing state in this election and is widely predicted to be the tipping point that decides the winner.

North Carolina (16 votes): North Carolina was originally considered firmly Republican, but the two candidates are now extremely close in the polls.

Georgia (16 votes): Georgia surprised many by voting for Joe Biden in 2020 despite being considered safely red. Trump will try to make sure this is an outlier and not a trend.

Arizona (11 votes): Despite Republican leanings, Arizona went for Biden in the last election. It is the swing state with the strongest poll results for Trump.

Nevada (six votes): The smallest swing state, Nevada, is also the least important in college math for both candidates, but could be crucial if something goes wrong for either candidate.

Which states gained or lost electoral votes from 2020 to 2024?

Thirteen states changed Electoral College votes between 2020 and 2024. Only one state, Texas, had a change larger than one vote, adding two votes. California lost one vote but remains the largest in college.

Although the Electoral College system is the subject of debate and calls for reform, it remains the official method of electing the U.S. president.

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