The number of Electoral College seats (or electors) per state is determined by the following process:
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Total Electors: The Electoral College consists of a total of 538 electors, which is based on the total number of members of Congress: 100 Senators (2 from each state) and 435 Representatives in the House. Additionally, the District of Columbia is allocated 3 electors, even though it does not have voting representation in Congress.
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House of Representatives: Each state is allocated electors based on its population relative to other states, as determined by the decennial U.S. Census. Every state is guaranteed at least one Representative, regardless of its population. The number of Representatives per state can change every 10 years after each Census, as the total population is divided into districts.
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Senate Representation: Each state has two Senators, which means every state contributes two electors based on Senate representation, regardless of population.
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Calculation: The total number of electors for each state is calculated by adding the number of its Representatives in the House to its Senators. For instance, if a state has 4 Representatives in the House, it will have a total of 6 electors (4 Representatives + 2 Senators).
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Census Impact: Because the distribution of House seats (and thus electors) can change with population shifts, the Electoral College allocation can also change, influencing presidential elections every ten years following the Census.
In summary, a state's Electoral College seats are determined by the sum of its Senators (always 2) and its Representatives in the House, which fluctuates with population changes measured in the national Census.