Final answer:
The number of electors a state receives in the Electoral College is the sum of its U.S. Senators and Representatives. This is based on state population data from the U.S. Census, with the total number of Representatives capped at 435 by the Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929. Option 1 is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of electors a state receives is determined by the sum of its U.S. Senators and Representatives. Each state has two Senators and a variable number of Representatives, which reflects the state's population. The population data used to allocate Representatives is collected from the U.S. Census, which occurs every ten years.
Therefore, the correct answer to which determines the number of electors a state receives is: 1) the number of representatives plus the number of senators.
For instance, the least-populated states have a minimum of three electors because they have two Senators and at least one Representative. Larger states like California, which has a larger population, have more Representatives and consequently more Electoral College votes.
The Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929 fixed the total number of Representatives at 435, and for the 2024 presidential election there will be a total of 538 electors in the Electoral College.