ELECTORAL VOTES 55

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ABOUT
CALIFORNIA

2010 Census Reapportionment: California will remain at 55 electoral votes for the 2012, 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. This is the first time since the 1920 Census that California has not gained at least one electoral vote.



California, which rapidly gained population during the Gold Rush of 1848, joined the union in September, 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850. With the exception of 1920 and 2010, the state has gained electoral votes from every census since its founding. In 1972, California reached 45 electoral votes, passing New York for most in the country. With 55 currently, the state has more than 10% of all available electoral votes. While growth in the Latino population has helped make California a reliably Democratic state today, this was not always the case. In fact, from 1952 through 1988, Republicans won every presidential election except the landslide loss of Barry Goldwater in 1964. In 2008, Barack Obama defeated John McCain by 61%-37%.