What is the minimum number of electoral college votes required to win the presidency?

To win the presidency in the United States, a candidate must secure a majority of the electoral votes. The total number of electoral votes available is 538, and a candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to achieve that majority. This requirement is designed to ensure that the winning candidate has broader support across the states, rather than just focusing on winning a majority of the popular vote. The 270 threshold represents the halfway point plus one, reflecting the need to surpass that total for a clear victory. Thus, the answer indicating 270 is the correct minimum number of electoral college votes required to win the presidency.