How is the Electoral College allocated?
In Washington, the Electoral College is allocated based on the population of the state on the basis of the most recent census. The total number of electors in the Electoral College comes from the number of senators and representatives that a state has in Congress. This number is determined by the population of the state. For example, Washington has three representatives in Congress and two U.S. Senators, so Washington has a total of five electoral votes. When it comes time to vote in the general election, citizens of Washington cast a ballot for a slate of electors who pledge to cast their ballots for a certain candidate. The number of electors that Washington can cast is determined by the number of electoral college votes it holds. The electors are split up among the various congressional districts in Washington. For example, the 1st Congressional District of Washington has one elector, the 2nd Congressional District has two, and the 3rd Congressional District has two. In the event of a tie in the overall Electoral College vote, the state is assigned a special single elector. This elector has the deciding vote in the election, which is known as the "façade elector." The façade elector then casts a vote for one of the candidates. This is how the Electoral College is allocated in Washington.
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