California, the most populous state in the United States, plays a pivotal role in the outcome of the presidential election. With a total of 54 electoral votes, California holds the largest share of any state, contributing significantly to the 270 votes needed for a presidential candidate to win the Electoral College.

California’s voting patterns have also made it a reliably Democratic state in recent presidential elections, although its large number of electoral votes makes it a key point of national political strategies.

Each state’s number of electoral votes in US presidential elections is determined by its representation in Congress. Here’s how it works:

Total electoral votes: There are 538 electoral votes in total.

Allocation by state: Each state gets electoral votes equal to its number of senators (always 2) plus its number of representatives, which is based on population.

Majority to win: A candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

How many voters are in the Electoral College?

The Electoral College consists of 538 voters. A majority of 270 people is needed for a candidate to win the presidency.

In 2020, President Joe Biden won 306 electoral votes, while former President Donald Trump won 232.