Each state's member total within the Electoral College is equal to the sum of the number of Representatives in Senate plus number of the Representatives in House of Representatives from that state.
The Electoral College is compromised of a group of electors established every 4 years to elect the president and vice president. In total, the Electoral College is made up of 538 electors and each state is represented within the group. In order to win the election, the candidates require a majority of the votes from the Electoral College (at least 270 votes).
Section 1 of Article II of the Constitution of the United States of America outlines the power of the president as well as the method of his/her election. It states:
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Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress ...
Thus, each state shall be given as many electors as the sum its number of Senators in the Upper House of the Congress and Representatives in the House of Representatives. For example, California has had 55 members in the Electoral College for the presidential elections in 2012 and 2016 (and will again for 2020). This is because there are 2 Senators and 53 Representatives in House of Representatives from the State of California.
Additionally, the
23rd Amendment, which was ratified in 1961, provides the District of Columbia (D.C.) with three electors in the Electoral College.
The
12th Amendment to the Constitution provides the procedure for electing the President and Vice President. This amendment was ratified on June 15, 1804. Since then, all the presidential elections have been governed by this amendment.
Learning Point: The Electoral College is formed every 4 years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president. Each state is represented within the Electoral College and the number of members from each state is determined by adding together the state's number of Senators in the Upper House of the Congress and Representatives in the House of Representatives.
