Minnesota Electoral College Guide
Minnesota casts 10 electoral votes in presidential elections. Minnesota's 10 EV have been Democratic since 1976 — the longest such streak. The state came within 45,000 votes in 2016 and Trump has targeted it repeatedly.
Role in the Electoral College
Minnesota's 10 EV have been Democratic since 1976 — the longest such streak. The state came within 45,000 votes in 2016 and Trump has targeted it repeatedly.
Electoral Vote History
Has voted Democratic in every presidential election since 1976. Voted for Mondale in 1984 (with DC). Trump missed flipping by 1.5 points in 2016.
Electoral College Basics
The United States uses an Electoral College system to elect the president. Each state receives electoral votes equal to its total congressional representation: number of House seats + 2 (senators). Minnesota has 8 House seats + 2 senators = 10 electoral votes.
A candidate needs 270 out of 538 electoral votes to win the presidency. Minnesota’s 10 electoral votes represent 1.9% of the total needed.
Most states use a winner-take-all system — the popular vote winner receives all electoral votes. The exception is Maine and Nebraska, which allocate electoral votes by congressional district. Minnesota uses the winner-take-all system.