Theoretically, it is possible to become president by winning only ______ of the most populous states.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In order to become president, a candidate must win a majority of the electoral votes, which are allocated based on the number of representatives and senators each state has. The total number of electoral votes is 538, and a candidate needs to win 270 of them to become president.

The most populous states are California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey, and Virginia. Together, these states have a total of 306 electoral votes, which is more than enough to win the presidency.

Therefore, it is theoretically possible to become president by winning only 11 of these most populous states, which would give a candidate a total of 279 electoral votes (assuming they win the smallest states as well).

Theoretically, It Is Possible to Become President by Winning Only