Final answer:
A presidential candidate needs a minimum of 270 electoral votes to win an election out of the total 538 available in the Electoral College.
Step-by-step explanation:
The minimum number of electoral votes a presidential candidate needs to win an election is 270. This represents a majority of the total 538 electors in the Electoral College, which corresponds to the sum of all U.S. Senators (two per state), House of Representatives members (determined by state population), and three electors from the District of Columbia. To be elected as president, a candidate must secure more than half of these votes during the presidential election.