North Carolina Electoral College Guide
North Carolina casts 16 electoral votes in presidential elections. North Carolina's 16 EV went Democratic for the first time since 1976 when Obama won by 0.3% in 2008. Romney won back in 2012; Republicans have held since. Remains highly competitive.
Role in the Electoral College
North Carolina's 16 EV went Democratic for the first time since 1976 when Obama won by 0.3% in 2008. Romney won back in 2012; Republicans have held since. Remains highly competitive.
Electoral Vote History
Obama won NC in 2008 by 0.3%. Romney won back in 2012. Trump won by 1-3 points in 2016, 2020, 2024. Competitive every cycle.
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). North Carolina has 14 House seats + 2 senators = 16 electoral votes.
A candidate needs 270 out of 538 electoral votes to win the presidency. North Carolina’s 16 electoral votes represent 3.0% 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. North Carolina uses the winner-take-all system.