Final answer:
When you vote for the president, you are actually voting for electors who make up the Electoral College. The number of electors each state has is based on its representation in Congress. To win the presidency, a candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you vote for the president, you are actually voting for a group of people known as electors. These electors are part of the Electoral College, and they cast their votes to officially elect the president. Each state has a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congress.
The number of electors is determined by the total number of representatives a state has in the House of Representatives plus its two Senators. For example, California has 53 representatives in the House of Representatives and 2 Senators, so it has a total of 55 electors.
In order to win the presidency, a candidate must receive a majority of the electoral votes. There are a total of 538 electors, so a candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to win.
Learn more about Voting for President