Washington Electoral College Guide
Washington casts 12 electoral votes in presidential elections. Washington's 12 EV are safely Democratic. The state has not been competitive in presidential elections since 1988.
Role in the Electoral College
Washington's 12 EV are safely Democratic. The state has not been competitive in presidential elections since 1988.
Electoral Vote History
Last Republican presidential win was 1984. Safely Democratic since 1988. Seattle's tech economy dominates the political landscape.
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). Washington has 10 House seats + 2 senators = 12 electoral votes.
A candidate needs 270 out of 538 electoral votes to win the presidency. Washington’s 12 electoral votes represent 2.2% 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. Washington uses the winner-take-all system.