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How many electoral votes each state gets when electing president

We'll be keeping a close eye on the states as they're called, and the number of electoral votes each one has.

HOUSTON — Tuesday is Election Day, as voters head to the polls to decide who will lead the country, states, counties and various municipalities. For the presidential election, the Electoral College ultimately decides the winner.

Below is the allocation of electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election. It was determined by the 2010 Census. Each state gets a number of votes based on its number of senators and representatives. They get two votes for its senators, plus a number of votes equal to the number of Congressional districts.  

In all but two states, the electoral votes go to whichever candidate wins the popular vote there. But in two states -- Nebraska and Maine -- two electoral votes go to the popular vote winner, then one electoral vote goes to the popular vote winner in each Congressional district they win.

There are 538 total electoral votes. Whichever candidate -- President Donald Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden -- gets to 270 electoral votes will win the presidency.

Texas is the second biggest prize with 38 electoral votes, only behind California's 55.

State-by-state number of electoral votes

Alabama - 9 votes

Alaska - 3 votes

Arizona - 11 votes

Arkansas - 6 votes

California - 55 votes

Colorado - 9 votes

Connecticut - 7 votes

Delaware - 3 votes

District of Columbia - 3 votes

Florida - 29 votes

Kentucky - 8 votes

North Dakota - 3 votes

Georgia - 16 votes

Hawaii - 4 votes

Idaho - 4 votes

Illinois - 20 votes

Indiana - 11 votes

Iowa - 6 votes

Kansas - 6 votes

Louisiana - 8 votes

Maine - 4 votes

Maryland - 10 votes

Massachusetts - 11 votes

Michigan - 16 votes

Mississippi - 6 votes

Missouri - 10 votes

Montana - 3 votes

Nebraska - 5 votes

Nevada - 6 votes

New Jersey - 14 votes

New Hampshire - 4 votes

New Mexico - 5 votes

New York - 29 votes

North Carolina - 15 votes

Ohio - 18 votes

Oklahoma - 7 votes

Oregon - 7 votes

Rhode Island - 4 votes

Pennsylvania - 20 votes

Minnesota - 10 votes

South Carolina - 9 votes

South Dakota - 3 votes

Tennessee - 11 votes

Texas - 38 votes

Utah - 6 votes

Vermont - 3 votes

Virginia - 13 votes

Washington - 12 votes

West Virginia - 5 votes

Wisconsin - 10 votes

Wyoming - 3 votes

Here's a map showing how the 2016 presidential election went

Credit: Associated Press

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