Final answer:
The number of votes in the electoral college is equal to the number of U.S. Representatives plus the number of Senators plus 3 from Washington, d.c.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of votes in the Electoral College is equal to the number of representatives plus the number of senators plus 3 from Washington, D.C.
Every state has a specific number of Electoral College votes based on its congressional delegation: two senators, regardless of the state's population, and a variable number of House representatives, which depends on the state's population as determined by the U.S. Census conducted every ten years. Each state's population may fluctuate, causing the number of representatives to change with each census.
For reference, the Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929 has fixed the total number of representatives at 435. In addition to the representatives and senators, Washington, D.C. is allotted 3 electors, as mandated by the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution, although it is not a state and has no voting representation in Congress.
Therefore, for the 2024 presidential election, there are 538 electors in the Electoral College. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required for a candidate to win the presidency.