IOWA, USA — In what looks like a close race for the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will be duking it out over every Electoral College vote in the remaining days ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
To win the election, a presidential candidate must receive at least 270 electoral votes.
Established by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, the Electoral College determines the next United States president every four years.
As it is used to reflect the population of each state, the winner of the popular vote may not necessarily be reflected through the Electoral College — as seen during the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections.
How many electoral votes does Iowa have?
The number of electoral votes each state has is calculated by the number of representatives in Congress. Iowa has six electoral votes, a small amount compared to larger states like California and Texas.
Iowa is among 47 other states, and the District of Columbia, to utilize a winner-take-all system. So, whichever candidate wins the popular vote in that state takes all the electors.
Nebraska and Maine are the only states whose electoral votes are split, allocating votes to whoever wins a specific district.
In another wrinkle to the election, it is mathematically possible for both candidates to end up in a 269-269 tie as there are currently an even number of votes in the Electoral College.
If that were to happen, it would be up to the House of Representatives to elect the president.
Local 5 will have live election results on Tuesday, Nov. 5 from the presidential race, all four of Iowa’s Congressional races, the Iowa Legislature and the balance of power in the U.S. House and Senate
