Massachusetts has 11 electoral votes. Here's how the Electoral College works for the state.
BOSTON - When Massachusetts residents cast their ballots in the November 2024 presidential election, they aren't exactly voting directly for Kamala Harris, Donald Trump or any of the other candidates on the ballot running for commander-in-chief. As in all other states, voters are actually choosing a slate of presidential and vice presidential electors to represent them in the Electoral College system.
How many electoral votes does Massachusetts have?
Massachusetts has 11 electoral votes because it has nine U.S. House representatives and two U.S. senators. Like the overwhelming majority of states, there is a winner-take-all format. Only Maine and Nebraska award electoral votes by Congressional district.
Massachusetts once had as many as 18 electoral votes early in the 20th century, but that number dropped to 12 in 1992 and 11 in 2012 as population growth in the state slowed compared to the rest of the country.
The state reliably casts its electoral votes for Democratic presidential candidates. Voters haven't backed a Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
How are presidential electors chosen in Massachusetts?
Presidential electors are nominated by their respective political parties to represent them in the Electoral College. According to the Secretary of State's office, the parties are required to submit the names of their electors by the second Tuesday in September.
The Massachusetts Democratic Party picked its electors during an August meeting. Elector candidates were required to be registered Democrats and had to pledge to vote for the party nominee.
The winning slate of electors will gather at the Massachusetts State House on Dec. 17 to officially cast their ballots for president and vice president.
Popular vote push
Massachusetts is one of 17 states that have passed the National Popular Vote bill. Signed into law by former Gov. Deval Patrick in 2010, the legislation directs states to give their electoral votes to the candidate that wins the popular vote nationwide.
That means blue Massachusetts would cast its electoral votes for a Republican if that candidate won the country's popular vote, even if voters in the state backed the Democrat.
The law will only go into effect if the states that sign on to the movement have a total reach of 270 electoral votes. Currently the effort is 61 votes shy of that number.
