State Population vs. Electoral Vote
The apportionment of electoral votes is based on the congressional
representation for each state, meaning that each congressional seat
equals an electoral vote. Since the House of Representatives is set at
435 seats and the Senate at 100, changes in electoral votes with every
10-year census are often very minute. Therefore, the number of people
per electoral vote in one state is very different than the number of
people per electoral vote in another. Below is a list of states along
with their populations, number of electoral votes, and a percentage
that demonstrates the relative value of a vote cast in that state
compared to the national average
(For example on average a state is awarded one electoral vote for every
545,828 people. However, Wyoming has three
electoral votes and only 506,529 citizens. As a result each of
Wyoming's three votes corresponds to only 168,843
people. These people have 3.23 times as much clout in the
Electoral College as an average
American or 323% as listed in the chart).| States | 2004 Population | 2004 Electoral Votes | % vs. National Average |
| Alabama | 4,530,182 | 9 | 108% |
| Alaska | 655,435 | 3 | 250% |
| Arizona | 5,743,834 | 10 | 95% |
| Arkansas | 2,752,629 | 6 | 119% |
| California | 35,893,799 | 55 | 84% |
| Colorado | 4,601,403 | 9 | 107% |
| Connecticut | 3,503,604 | 7 | 109% |
| Delaware | 830,364 | 3 | 197% |
| Dist. of Columbia | 553,523 | 3 | 296% |
| Florida | 17,397,161 | 27 | 85% |
| Georgia | 8,829,383 | 15 | 93% |
| Hawaii | 1,262,840 | 4 | 173% |
| Idaho | 1,393,262 | 4 | 157% |
| Illinois | 12,713,634 | 21 | 90% |
| Indiana | 6,237,569 | 11 | 96% |
| Iowa | 2,954,451 | 7 | 129% |
| Kansas | 2,735,502 | 6 | 120% |
| Kentucky | 4,145,922 | 8 | 105% |
| Louisiana | 4,515,770 | 9 | 109% |
| Maine | 1,317,253 | 4 | 166% |
| Maryland | 5,558,058 | 10 | 98% |
| Massachusetts | 6,416,505 | 12 | 102% |
| Michigan | 10,112,620 | 17 | 92% |
| Minnesota | 5,100,958 | 10 | 107% |
| Mississippi | 2,902,966 | 6 | 113% |
| Missouri | 5,754,618 | 11 | 104% |
| Montana | 926,865 | 3 | 177% |
| Nebraska | 1,747,214 | 5 | 156% |
| Nevada | 2,334,771 | 5 | 117% |
| New Hampshire | 1,299,500 | 4 | 168% |
| New Jersey | 8,698,879 | 15 | 94% |
| New Mexico | 1,903,289 | 5 | 143% |
| New York | 19,227,088 | 31 | 88% |
| North Carolina | 8,541,221 | 15 | 96% |
| North Dakota | 634,366 | 3 | 258% |
| Ohio | 11,459,011 | 20 | 95% |
| Oklahoma | 3,523,553 | 7 | 108% |
| Oregon | 3,594,586 | 7 | 106% |
| Pennsylvania | 12,406,292 | 21 | 92% |
| Rhode Island | 1,080,632 | 4 | 202% |
| South Carolina | 4,198,068 | 8 | 104% |
| South Dakota | 770,883 | 3 | 212% |
| Tennessee | 5,900,962 | 11 | 102% |
| Texas | 22,490,022 | 34 | 83% |
| Utah | 2,389,039 | 5 | 114% |
| Vermont | 621,394 | 3 | 264% |
| Virginia | 7,459,827 | 13 | 95% |
| Washington | 6,203,788 | 11 | 97% |
| West Virginia | 1,815,354 | 5 | 150% |
| Wisconsin | 5,509,026 | 10 | 99% |
| Wyoming | 506,529 | 3 | 323% |
| United States | 293,655,404 | 538 | 100% |
*Populations from the United States Census as of July 1, 2003; Electoral Votes from the Federal Elections Commission.
How the Electoral College Works Today
Electoral College Table of Contents