How many ec votes to win

Opponent: Michael R. Pence [R] Notes For the first time since adopting their respective systems, both Maine and Nebraska split their electoral votes: Maine distributes its electoral votes proportionally, with two at-large electors representing the statewide winning presidential and vice presidential candidates and one elector each representing the winners from its two Congressional districts.

For only the second time since adopting this system, Maine's four electoral votes were split between the two major party tickets. Nebraska distributes its electoral votes proportionally, with two at-large electors representing the statewide winning presidential and vice presidential candidates and one elector each representing the winners from its three Congressional districts.

For only the second time since adopting this system, Nebraska's five electoral votes were split between the two major party tickets. Click on the number of electoral votes for each state to see its Certificate of Vote.

For example, in Pennsylvania, the presidential candidate himself or herself directly nominates their presidential electors. Members of the Electoral College are elected by each state and the District of Columbia on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in presidential election years.

In , Election Day is Tuesday November 3, This date is set by a federal law passed by Congress, and may only by changed by Congress. In Maine and Nebraska, one presidential elector is elected from each of the state's congressional districts, and two presidential electors are elected on the basis of the statewide vote. For example, in , Nebraska's electoral votes divided , with McCain receiving four and Obama receiving one as a result of his winning Nebraska's 2nd congressional district.

In , Maine's electoral votes divided , with Clinton receiving three and Trump receiving one as a result of his winning Maine's 2nd congressional district in the northern part of the state.

The members of the Electoral College cast their votes for President and Vice President in meetings held in the 50 state capitals and the District of Columbia in mid-December of presidential election years. If all electors are appointed, electoral votes i. The date for the meeting of the Electoral College is established by federal election law United States Code. Title 3, chapter 1, section 7. In , the designated day for the meeting of the Electoral College is Monday, December When Americans head to the polls to vote in this November's general election , they won't actually be voting for the President of the United States directly, but rather they'll be telling their electors which candidate they want as president.

The electors then have their own election in which they select the new president and vice president. Electors - of which there are - are supposed to be representatives of the electorate who meet on a state-by-state level and select which presidential and vice presidential candidates will earn that state's votes.

This group of electors and their assemblage is what is known as the " electoral college. Read more: The latest election betting odds. The number of electors is based on the number of members in the US Congress. A state is allocated one elector for every member of the House of Representatives which has seats in all and every member of the Senate which has representing that state. That number can only change when a new legislator is added to the Congress, which means changes to the electoral college only happen once every 10 years, and even then only if the Census reports a significant state population shift.

States with small populations - like Alaska, Delaware, Vermont, Wyoming, North Dakota and Montana - have fewer Congressional representatives and thus fewer electors. Each of those states have three electors, and thus three electoral votes. Likewise, the District of Columbia, which has no Congressional representation, also has three electors.

On the flip side, states with huge populations - like California and Texas - have dozens of Congressional representatives and thus dozens of electoral votes. California has 55 electoral votes and Texas has