How many electoral votes does a presidential candidate need to win in the United States?

Answer by  BrianSJ (524)

At present, there are 538 votes in the Electoral College. A candidate will win if he or she receives a simple majority of these votes, or 270. If no candidate receives a simple majority of electoral votes, the Presidential election will be settled by the members of the newly elected House of Representatives.

Answer by  rot (91)

The size of the electoral college is fixed as the number of elected representatives in Congress (Senators plus House Representatives), plus 3 votes for Washington DC, giving 538 possible votes. An absolute majority of these votes is necessary to win the presidency. That means that 270 votes are required for a candidate to win.