ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES
The Electoral College is a group of citizen delegates who cast votes for the president of the
United States. The candidate who gets the most votes wins the election. The number of
voters in the Electoral College, or electors, varies from state to state. In this activity you
will investigate both what these differences are and what they mean to a presidential
candidate.
State
Population
E.C.Vs
%
State
Population
E.C.Vs
%
Alabama
[4,779,736]
[9]
[1.5%]
Montana
[989,415]
[3]
[0.3%]
Alaska
[710,231]
[3]
[0.2%]
Nebraska
[1,826,341]
[5]
[0.6%]
Arizona
[6,392,017]
[11]
[2.1%]
Nevada
[2,700,551]
[6]
[0.9%]
Arkansas
[2,915,918]
[6]
[0.9%]
New Hampshire
[1,316,470]
[4]
[0.4%]
California
[37,253,956]
[55]
[12.1%]
New Jersey
[8,791,894]
[14]
[2.8%]
Colorado
[5,029,196]
[9]
[1.6%]
New Mexico
[2,059,179]
[5]
[0.7%]
Connecticut
[3,574,097]
[7]
[1.2%]
New York
[19,378,102]
[29]
[6.3%]
Delaware
[897,934]
[3]
[0.3%]
N. Carolina
[9,535,483]
[15]
[3.1%]
DC
[601,723]
[3]
[0.2%]
N. Dakota
[672,591]
[3]
[0.2%]
Florida
[18,801,310]
[29]
[6.1%]
Ohio
[11,536,504]
[18]
[3.7%]
Georgia
[9,687,653]
[16]
[3.1%]
Oklahoma
[3,751,351]
[7]
[1.2%]
Hawaii
[1,360,301]
[4]
[0.4%]
Oregon
[3,831,074]
[7]
[1.2%]
Idaho
[1,567,582]
[4]
[0.5%]
Pennsylvania
[12,702,379]
[20]
[4.1%]
Illinois
[12,830,632]
[20]
[4.2%]
Rhode Island
[1,052,567]
[4]
[0.3%]
Indiana
[6,483,802]
[11]
[2.1%]
S. Carolina
[4,625,364]
[9]
[1.5%]
Iowa
[3,046,355]
[6]
[1.0%]
South Dakota
[814,180]
[3]
[0.3%]
Kansas
[2,853,118]
[6]
[0.9%]
Tennessee
[6,346,105]
[11]
[2.1%]
Kentucky
[4,339,367]
[8]
[1.4%]
Texas
[25,145,561]
[38]
[8.1%]
Louisiana
[4,533,372]
[8]
[1.5%]
Utah
[2,763,885]
[6]
[0.9%]
Maine
[1,328,361]
[4]
[0.4%]
Vermont
[625,741]
[3]
[0.2%]
Maryland
[5,773,552]
[10]
[1.9%]
Virginia
[8,001,024]
[13]
[2.6%]
Massachusetts
[6,547,629]
[11]
[2.1%]
Washington
[6,724,540]
[12]
[2.2%]
Michigan
[9,883,640]
[16]
[3.2%]
West Virginia
[1,852,994]
[5]
[0.6%]
Minnesota
[5,303,925]
[10]
[1.7%]
Wisconsin
[5,686,986]
[10]
[1.8%]
Mississippi
[2,967,297]
[6]
[1.0%]
Wyoming
[563,626]
[3]
[0.2%]
Missouri
[5,988,927]
[10]
[1.9%]
TOTAL
[308,745,538]
[538]
100%
I
© 2014 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
http://illuminations.nctm.org
1. Howmanytotalelectoralvotesarethere?Acandidatemusthavemorethanhalfofthevotesfrom
theElectoralCollegetowinthepresidency.Calculatehowmanyvotesthecandidatemusthaveto
win.Showhowyouarrivedatyoursolution.
2. What is the least number of states a presidential candidate could win and win the national election?
3. List the states that would create this scenario. For each state, give the number of electoral votes
won
On the United States map, shade the states included in your answer.
© 2014 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
http://illuminations.nctm.org
4. What is the greatest number of states a presidential candidate could win and not win the
national election?
5. List the states that would create this scenario. For each state, give the number of electoral votes
won
On the United States map, shade the states included in your answer.
© 2014 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
http://illuminations.nctm.org
6. Isitpossibletohaveatiebetweentwocandidates?Ifso,giveasituationwherethiscouldhappen.
7. How could a presidential candidate have a majority (greater than half) of the popular vote, but not win the
national election. (Remember: a candidate must have a majority of the electoral college votes.)
List the states that would create this scenario. For each state, give the number of electoral votes won
and the percentage
8. Presidential candidates often spend a great deal of time campaigning in California. Why do you think this
is? What other states do you think are popular campaign stops?
9. Do you think your state is a popular campaign stop? Do you think it should be? Explain.
© 2014 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
http://illuminations.nctm.org