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To become president of the United States, a candidate must win at least 270 electoral votes. This map shows the electoral votes by state for the presidential election.
The Twelfth Amendment requires that each elector cast one vote for president. In each state, electors are chosen every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Congress certifies the Electoral College vote in January, which allows the new president to take office on January 20. There are a total of 538 electors, corresponding to the 435 representatives and 100 senators, plus the three electors of the District of Columbia. The number of representatives per state depends on the population of that state, whereas each state is given two senators.
The Electoral College has elected the candidate who received the most popular votes nationwide, except in five elections: 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016.
If no person receives an absolute majority of electoral votes for president, the Twelfth Amendment provides that the House of Representatives will select the president, with each of the 50 state delegations casting one vote. If no person receives a majority of electoral votes for vice president, then the Senate will select the vice president, with each of the 100 senators having one vote.
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