Final answer:
The number of electoral votes a state receives is determined by its number of congressional delegates, which consist of the state's representatives and senators. State representatives fluctuate with state population, determined by the U.S. Census, and senators remain constant at two per state.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of electoral votes that a state receives is determined by the total number of representatives and senators that state has in the U.S. Congress. For Washington, DC, it is granted as many electors as it would have if it were a state. The number of representatives each state has may change based on state population, which is determined every ten years by the U.S. Census.
Each state has two senators regardless of population, and together with the state's number of representatives, they make up a state's total electoral vote count. In most states, electoral votes are awarded to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote in a winner-take-all manner, although Nebraska and Maine allocate their electors proportionally. Consequently, for the 2024 presidential election, there is foreseen to be a total of 538 electors in the Electoral College, requiring a majority of 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.