When you're staring at a red and blue map on election night, your eyes probably dart straight to the "Blue Wall" or the massive prize of Texas. But honestly, the real drama usually goes down in the desert. If you’re trying to figure out exactly how many electoral votes does Nevada and Arizona have, you’re looking at two of the most scrutinized pieces of real estate in American politics.
For the 2024 and 2028 presidential cycles, Arizona has 11 electoral votes and Nevada has 6 electoral votes.
Combined, that’s 17 votes. It might not sound like a lot when California is sitting there with 54, but in a race where you need 270 to win, these two states are basically the "dealbreakers" of the Southwest. They aren't just numbers; they represent some of the fastest-growing and most demographically shifting populations in the country.
Why 11 and 6? The Math Behind the Desert Votes
The way we get to these numbers is pretty straightforward, though it feels like a high school civics pop quiz. Every state gets a number of electors equal to its total Congressional delegation. That means you take the two U.S. Senators (every state has two) and add the number of U.S. Representatives in the House.
Arizona’s Breakdown (11 Votes)
Arizona has two Senators and nine members in the House of Representatives.
$2 (\text{Senators}) + 9 (\text{Representatives}) = 11 \text{ Electoral Votes}$
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Nevada’s Breakdown (6 Votes)
Nevada has two Senators and four members in the House.
$2 (\text{Senators}) + 4 (\text{Representatives}) = 6 \text{ Electoral Votes}$
What’s wild is how much Arizona has exploded over the decades. Back in the 1950s, Arizona only had 4 electoral votes. It has nearly tripled its influence since then. Nevada, on the other hand, stayed at a tiny 3 votes for almost a century before it started climbing in the 1980s.
Did the 2020 Census Change Anything?
You've probably heard people talking about "reapportionment." This happens every ten years after the Census Bureau finishes counting everyone. States that grew fast gain seats; states that stalled or shrank lose them.
Despite all the headlines about people moving to Phoenix and Las Vegas, neither Arizona nor Nevada gained or lost any seats after the 2020 Census.
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Honestly, it was a bit of a shocker for Arizona. Many experts, including those at the U.S. Census Bureau, expected Arizona to pick up a 12th vote. It didn’t happen. The state fell just short of the population threshold needed to snag another House seat from a slower-growing state. So, for the upcoming 2028 election, we are sticking with the 11 and 6 counts.
The "Sun Belt" Power Shift
Arizona and Nevada are the heart of what political junkies call the "Sun Belt." For a long time, Arizona was a "red" stronghold. Think Barry Goldwater or John McCain. But lately? It’s become a total toss-up.
Nevada is just as weird. It has a massive labor union presence in Las Vegas (Clark County), but the rural areas are deeply conservative. This makes the 6 votes in Nevada "punky"—they are hard to predict and often come down to a few thousand people in the suburbs of Reno or Vegas.
Real-World Impact: The 2024 Results
In the most recent 2024 election, Donald Trump managed to flip both states. He took Arizona’s 11 votes and Nevada’s 6 votes, contributing to his 312-vote total. This was a huge deal because Joe Biden had flipped Arizona in 2020—the first time a Democrat had done that since Bill Clinton in 1996. Nevada had stayed blue for twenty years until 2024.
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The point? These 17 combined votes are never "safe." They are earned through grueling ground campaigns and millions of dollars in TV ads.
Common Misconceptions About These Votes
One thing people get wrong is thinking that the number of electoral votes is based on how many people vote. It’s not. It’s based on the total population—including kids and non-citizens—counted in the Census.
Another big one: "Winner-Take-All."
Both Arizona and Nevada use a winner-take-all system. If a candidate wins the popular vote in Arizona by just one single person, they get all 11 electoral votes. There’s no splitting them up like they do in Maine or Nebraska. This is why candidates spend so much time in Maricopa County (Phoenix); win the county, win the state, win all 11 votes.
How to Track Changes for the 2030s
We are already seeing population estimates for the next round. According to data from the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, Arizona is once again a candidate to possibly gain a seat after the 2030 Census. Nevada’s growth has leveled off slightly, so it’s likely to stay at 6.
If you’re following this for the 2026 midterms or looking ahead to the 2028 presidential race, keep these numbers—11 and 6—burned into your brain. They are the "Golden 17" of the Southwest.
Actionable Steps for Staying Informed
- Check the Secretary of State Websites: If you want the raw, certified data for past elections, go to the Arizona Secretary of State or the Nevada Secretary of State.
- Monitor Maricopa and Clark Counties: These two counties alone decide the electoral fate of these states. If you see a shift in registration numbers there, the electoral votes are likely to follow.
- Watch the 2030 Census Prep: Follow the American Community Survey (ACS) releases to see if Arizona is finally on track to hit that 12th vote.
The landscape of the Electoral College is always moving, even if the numbers stay the same for a decade. Understanding that Arizona holds 11 and Nevada holds 6 is the first step in decoding how the next President will actually get to the White House.