2016 United States presidential election

58th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th presidential election that happened on November 8, 2016. Businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated former secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Virginia senator Tim Kaine on the Republican Party ticket.[2]

2016 United States presidential election

← 2012November 8, 20162020 →

538 members of the Electoral College
270 electoral votes needed to win
Turnout55.7%[1] Increase 0.8 pp
 
NomineeDonald TrumpHillary Clinton
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Home stateNew YorkNew York
Running mateMike PenceTim Kaine
Electoral vote304227
States carried30 + ME-0220 + DC
Popular vote62,984,82865,853,514
Percentage46.1%48.2%

United States presidential election in California, 2016United States presidential election in Oregon, 2016United States presidential election in Washington (state), 2016United States presidential election in Idaho, 2016United States presidential election in Nevada, 2016United States presidential election in Utah, 2016United States presidential election in Arizona, 2016United States presidential election in Montana, 2016United States presidential election in Wyoming, 2016United States presidential election in Colorado, 2016United States presidential election in New Mexico, 2016United States presidential election in North Dakota, 2016United States presidential election in South Dakota, 2016United States presidential election in Nebraska, 2016United States presidential election in Kansas, 2016United States presidential election in Oklahoma, 2016United States presidential election in Texas, 2016United States presidential election in Minnesota, 2016United States presidential election in Iowa, 2016United States presidential election in Missouri, 2016United States presidential election in Arkansas, 2016United States presidential election in Louisiana, 2016United States presidential election in Wisconsin, 2016United States presidential election in Illinois, 2016United States presidential election in Michigan, 2016United States presidential election in Indiana, 2016United States presidential election in Ohio, 2016United States presidential election in Kentucky, 2016United States presidential election in Tennessee, 2016United States presidential election in Mississippi, 2016United States presidential election in Alabama, 2016United States presidential election in Georgia, 2016United States presidential election in Florida, 2016United States presidential election in South Carolina, 2016United States presidential election in North Carolina, 2016United States presidential election in Virginia, 2016United States presidential election in West Virginia, 2016United States presidential election in the District of Columbia, 2016United States presidential election in Maryland, 2016United States presidential election in Delaware, 2016United States presidential election in Pennsylvania, 2016United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016United States presidential election in New York, 2016United States presidential election in Connecticut, 2016United States presidential election in Rhode Island, 2016United States presidential election in Vermont, 2016United States presidential election in New Hampshire, 2016United States presidential election in Maine, 2016United States presidential election in Massachusetts, 2016United States presidential election in Hawaii, 2016United States presidential election in Alaska, 2016United States presidential election in the District of Columbia, 2016United States presidential election in Maryland, 2016United States presidential election in Delaware, 2016United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016United States presidential election in Connecticut, 2016United States presidential election in Rhode Island, 2016United States presidential election in Massachusetts, 2016United States presidential election in Vermont, 2016United States presidential election in New Hampshire, 2016
Presidential election results map. Red shows states won by Trump/Pence. Numbers show the number of electoral votes from each state. Blue shows states won by Clinton/Kaine.

President before election

Barack Obama
Democratic

Elected President

Donald Trump
Republican

Then-incumbent President Barack Obama was term limited by the Twenty-second amendment, which made him unable to serve a third presidential term. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination. Trump became his party's front-runner against many candidates in the Republican primary, defeating Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Marco Rubio, and Ohio Governor John Kasich among other candidates.

Many third-party candidates ran, such as Gary Johnson. Trump chose Governor of Indiana Mike Pence as his running mate, and Clinton chose Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate.

Trump received 304 electoral votes, 34 more votes than what was needed to win, while Clinton received 227.[3] Even though Trump lost the popular vote, the electoral votes decide the actual winner of the election. Trump took office on January 20, 2017.

Background

Article Two of the United States Constitution says that for a person to be elected and serve as President of the United States, they must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, at least 35 years old, and a resident of the United States for a period of no less than 14 years.

Candidates for the presidency typically seek the nomination of one of the various political parties of the United States, in which case each party devises a method (such as a primary election) to choose the candidate the party deems best suited to run for the position. The party's delegates then officially nominate a candidate to run on the party's behalf.

President Barack Obama was unable to seek re-election for a third term because of the Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that a president may only serve up to two terms. His term as president ended at noon eastern standard time on January 20, 2017.[4][5]

Democratic Party

Nominees

Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party Ticket, 2016
Hillary ClintonTim Kaine
for Presidentfor Vice President
67th
U.S. Secretary of State
(2009–2013)
U.S. Senator from Virginia
(2013-present)
Campaign
[6][7][8]

Withdrawn candidates

Candidates in this section are sorted by date of withdrawal from the primaries
Bernie SandersRocky De La FuenteMartin O'MalleyLawrence LessigLincoln ChafeeJim Webb
U.S. Senator from Vermont (2007–present)
Entrepreneur
(1979–present)
61st
Governor of Maryland
(2007–2015)
Harvard Law Professor
(2009–2016)
74th
Governor of Rhode Island
(2011–2015)
U.S. Senator
from Virginia
(2007–2013)
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
LN: July 26, 2016
13,167,848 primary votes and 1,846 delegates
LN: July 26, 2016
67,457 primary votes
W: February 1, 2016
110,423 votes
W: November 2, 2015
4 write-in votes in New Hampshire
W: October 23, 2015
0 votes
W: October 20, 2015
2 write-in votes in New Hampshire
[9]
[10]
[11][12]
[13]
[14]

Republican Party

Republican Party (United States)
Republican Party Ticket, 2016
Donald TrumpMike Pence
for Presidentfor Vice President
Chairman of
The Trump Organization
(1971–2017)
50th
Governor of Indiana
(2013-2017)
Campaign
[15][16][17]

Withdrawn candidates

Candidates in this section are sorted by date of withdrawal from race
John KasichTed CruzMarco RubioBen CarsonJeb BushJim GilmoreCarly FiorinaChris Christie
69th
Governor of Ohio
(2011–present)
U.S. Senator
from Texas
(2013–present)
U.S. Senator
from Florida
(2011–present)
Dir. of Pediatric Neurosurgery,
Johns Hopkins Hospital
(1984–2013)
43rd
Governor of Florida
(1999–2007)
68th
Governor of Virginia
(1998–2002)
CEO of Hewlett-Packard
(1999–2005)
55th
Governor of New Jersey
(2010–present)
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
W: May 4
W: May 3
W: Mar 15
W: Mar 4
W: Feb 20
W: Feb 12
W: Feb 10
W: Feb 10
[18]
[19][20][21]
[22][23][24]
[25][26][27]
[28][29]
[30]
[31][32]
[33][34]
Rand PaulRick SantorumMike HuckabeeGeorge PatakiLindsey GrahamBobby JindalScott WalkerRick Perry
U.S. Senator
from Kentucky
(2011–present)
U.S. Senator
from Pennsylvania
(1995–2007)
44th
Governor of Arkansas
(1996–2007)
53rd
Governor of New York
(1995–2006)
U.S. Senator
from South Carolina
(2003–present)
55th
Governor of Louisiana
(2008–2016)
45th
Governor of Wisconsin
(2011–present)
47th
Governor of Texas
(2000–2015)
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
Campaign
W: Feb 3
W: Feb 3
W: Feb 1
W: Dec 29, 2015
W: Dec 21, 2015
W: Nov 17, 2015
W: Sept 21, 2015
W: Sept 11, 2015
[35][36][37]
[38][39]
[40][41]
[42]
[43][44]
[45][46]
[47][48]
[49][50]

Major third parties

Libertarian Party

Ballot access for the Libertarian Party
  On ballot

Ballot access to all 538 electoral votes[51]

Nominees

Libertarian Party Ticket, 2016
Gary JohnsonBill Weld
for Presidentfor Vice President
29th
Governor of New Mexico
(1995–2003)
68th
Governor of Massachusetts
(1991-1997)
Campaign
[52][53]

Withdrawn candidates

Constitution Party

Ballot access to 207 electoral votes (451 with write-in):[63][64]

  On ballot
  Write-in
  Not on ballot
  • As write-in: Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia[63][65][66][67][68]
  • No ballot access: California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma

Nominees

Constitution Party ticket, 2016
Darrell CastleScott Bradley
for Presidentfor Vice President
Attorney
from Memphis, Tennessee
Businessman
from Utah
Campaign
[69]

Green Party

Ballot access for the Green Party
  On ballot
  Not on ballot, write-in access
  Not on ballot

Ballot access to 493(451) electoral votes:[70] Ballot access currently in process: North Dakota, Rhode Island, Wyoming

States currently under litigation for ballot access: Nevada, Oklahoma

States with no ballot access: South Dakota
As write-in: Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina.[71][72]

Nominees

Green Party (United States)
Presumptive Green Party Ticket, 2016
Jill SteinAjamu Baraka
for Presidentfor Vice President
Physician
from Lexington, Massachusetts
Activist
from Washington, D.C.
Campaign
[73]

Other active candidates

Withdrawn candidates

American Delta Party and Reform Party

  Access to ballot
  Write-in

Ballot access to 147 electoral votes (305 with write-in)

  • On the ballot: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming
  • As write-in: Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia
  • No ballot access: California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming
American Delta Party and Reform Party ticket, 2016
Roque "Rocky" De La FuenteMichael Steinberg
for Presidentfor Vice President
Business TycoonLawyer from Florida
Campaign

Independents

  Access to ballot
  Write-in

Ballot access to 84 electoral votes (451 with write-in):[76]

  • As write-in: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin[76][77][78][79][80][81][82]
  • No ballot access: District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wyoming
Independent ticket, 2016
Evan McMullinMindy Finn
for Presidentfor Vice President
Chief policy director for the
House Republican Conference (2015–2016)
President of
Empowered Women
(2015–present)
Campaign
[83]

Other parties

American Freedom Party

Ballot Access to 6 electoral votes: Mississippi[84]

  • Bob Whitaker, white nationalist and paleoconservative political activist from South Carolina.[85] Vice-presidential nominee: Tom Bowie, from Maryland[86]

Independent American Party

Ballot Access to 18 Electoral Votes: New Mexico, Oregon, Utah[87]

  • Farley Anderson, activist from Utah.[87] Vice Presidential nominee: Vacant

Party for Socialism and Liberation

Ballot Access to 29 electoral votes: Florida[88]

Prohibition Party

Ballot Access to 21 electoral votes: Arkansas, Colorado, Mississippi[90][91][92]

  • James Hedges, Tax Assessor for Thompson Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania 2002–2007;[93][94] vice-presidential nominee: Bill Bayes of Mississippi[93]

Peace and Freedom Party & Party of Socialism and Liberation

Ballot Access to 84 electoral votes: California, Florida[95][96]

  • Gloria La Riva, newspaper printer and activist, from New Mexico[97]

Socialist Party USA

Ballot Access to 0 electoral votes[92]

  • Mimi Soltysik, former National Co-chair of the Socialist Party USA from California;[98] vice-presidential nominee: Angela Walker of Wisconsin[98]

Nutrition Party

Ballot Access to 9 electoral votes: Colorado[90]

  • Rod Silva, restaurateur from New Jersey;[99][100] Vice-presidential nominee: Vacant

Veterans Party of America

Ballot Access to 6 electoral votes: Mississippi[101]

  • Chris Keniston, reliability engineer from Texas;[102] vice-presidential nominee: Deacon Taylor of Nevada[103]

Workers World Party

Ballot Access to 0 electoral votes

  • Monica Moorehead, perennial candidate and activist from New Jersey;[104] vice-Presidential nominee: Lamont Lilly[104]

Battleground states

Battleground states during the election were: Nevada, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Hampshire, Maine, Ohio and North Carolina. Trump won Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and a congressional district in Maine. Clinton won Nevada, New Hampshire and Maine. Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania were seen as likely 'Blue' states, but Trump won all three states in what was seen as a political upset.

Party conventions

Philadelphia
Cleveland
Orlando
Houston
Salt Lake City
  Democratic Party
  Republican Party
  Libertarian Party
  Green Party
  Constitution Party
  Reform Party
Democratic Party
Republican Party
Green Party
Libertarian Party
Constitution Party
  • April 13–16, 2016: Constitution Party National Convention was held in Salt Lake City, Utah.[112]
Reform Party
  • July 29–31, 2016: Reform Party National Convention was held in Bohemia, New York.[113]

Debates

On April 1, 2015, the Commission on Presidential Debates a (CPD) announced that each of the following 16 locations are under consideration to host one of the three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate:[114]

The three locations which will host the presidential debates and the one location selected to host the vice presidential debate are to be announced by the CPD in the fall of 2015.[114][115]

Results

CandidatePartyVotes%Electoral votes
Donald TrumpRepublican62,984,82546.09%304
Hillary ClintonDemocratic65,853,51648.18%227
Gary JohnsonLibertarian4,489,2213.28%0
Jill SteinGreen Party1,457,2161.07%0
Evan McMullinIndependent731,7880.54%0
Darrell CastleConstitution203,0100.15%0
Gloria La RivaPeace and Freedom74,3920.05%0
Rocky De La FuenteReform Party of the United States of America33,1360.03%0
Richard DuncanIndependent24,3080%0
Dan VacekLegal Marijuana Now Party13,5380%0
Alyson KennedySocialist Workers Party12,4670%0
Chris KenistonVeterans Party of America7,2510%0
Mike MaturenAmerican Solidarity Party6,7970%0
James HedgesProhibition Party5,6170%0
Tom HoeflingAmerica's Party4,8560%0
Monica MooreheadWorkers World Party4,3190%0
Laurence KotlikoffIndependent3,6030%0
Peter SkewesAmerican Party3,2460%0
Rocky GiordaniIndependent American Party2,7520%0
Mimi SoltysikSocialist Party USA2,7050%0
Rod SilvaNutrition Party7510%0
Jerome WhiteSocialist Equality Party3820%0
Total136,669,237100%538

Margin of victory

  • Blue shows Clinton's margin of victory over Trump, while red shows Trump's margin of victory over Clinton.
StateTrump %Clinton %Margin
Alabama62.1%34.4%27.7%
Alaska51.3%36.6%14.7%
Arizona48.7%45.1%3.6%
Arkansas60.6%33.7%26.9%
California31.6%61.7%30.1%
Colorado43.3%48.2%4.9%
Connecticut40.9%54.6%13.7%
Delaware41.7%53.1%11.4%
District of Columbia4.1%90.5%86.4%
Florida49.0%47.8%1.2%
Georgia50.8%45.6%5.2%
Hawaii30.0%62.2%32.2%
Idaho59.3%27.5%31.8%
Illinois38.8%55.8%17.0%
Indiana56.8%37.9%18.9%
Iowa51.2%41.7%9.5%
Kansas56.7%36.1%20.6%
Kentucky62.5%32.7%29.8%
Louisiana58.1%38.5%19.6%
Maine44.9%47.8%2.9%
Maryland33.9%60.3%26.4%
Massachusetts32.8%60.0%27.2%
Michigan47.5%47.3%0.2%
Minnesota44.9%46.4%1.5%
Mississippi57.9%40.1%17.8%
Missouri56.8%38.1%18.7%
Montana56.2%35.8%20.4%
Nebraska58.8%33.7%25.1%
Nevada45.5%47.9%2.4%
New Hampshire46.6%47.0%0.4%
New Jersey41.0%55.0%14.0%
New Mexico40.0%48.3%8.3%
New York36.5%59.0%22.5%
North Carolina49.8%46.2%3.6%
North Dakota63.0%27.2%35.8%
Ohio51.7%43.6%8.1%
Oklahoma65.3%28.9%36.4%
Oregon39.1%50.1%11.0%
Pennsylvania48.2%47.5%0.7%
Rhode Island38.9%54.4%15.5%
South Carolina54.9%40.7%14.2%
South Dakota61.5%31.7%29.8%
Tennessee60.7%34.7%26.0%
Texas52.2%43.2%9.0%
Utah45.5%27.5%18.0%
Vermont30.3%56.7%26.4%
Virginia44.4%49.7%5.3%
Washington36.8%52.5%15.7%
West Virginia68.5%26.4%42.1%
Wisconsin47.2%46.5%0.7%
Wyoming67.4%21.6%45.8%

The following table shows the swing in each state compared to the 2012 election.

State2016 Rep %2012 Rep %2016 Dem %2012 Dem %Rep ChangeDem Change
Alabama62.1%60.6%34.4%38.4%+1.5%–4.0%
Alaska51.3%54.8%36.6%40.8%–3.5%–4.2%
Arizona48.7%53.7%45.1%44.6%–5.0%+0.5%
Arkansas60.6%60.6%33.7%36.9%0.0%–3.2%
California31.6%37.1%61.7%60.2%–5.5%+1.5%
Colorado43.3%46.1%48.2%51.5%–2.8%–3.3%
Connecticut40.9%40.7%54.6%58.1%+0.2%–3.5%
Delaware41.7%40.0%53.1%58.6%+1.7%–5.5%
District of Columbia4.1%7.3%90.5%90.9%–3.2%–0.4%
Florida49.0%49.1%47.8%50.0%–0.1%–2.2%
Georgia50.8%53.3%45.6%45.5%–2.5%+0.1%
Hawaii30.0%27.8%62.2%70.6%+2.2%–8.4%
Idaho59.3%64.5%27.5%32.6%–5.2%–5.1%
Illinois38.8%40.7%55.8%57.6%–1.9%–1.8%
Indiana56.8%54.1%37.9%43.9%+2.7%–6.0%
Iowa51.2%46.2%41.7%52.0%+5.0%–10.3%
Kansas56.7%59.7%36.1%38.0%–3.0%–1.9%
Kentucky62.5%60.5%32.7%37.8%+2.0%–5.1%
Louisiana58.1%57.8%38.5%40.6%+0.3%–2.1%
Maine44.9%41.0%47.8%56.3%+3.9%–8.5%
Maryland33.9%35.9%60.3%62.0%–2.0%–1.7%
Massachusetts32.8%37.5%60.0%60.7%–4.7%–0.7%
Michigan47.5%44.7%47.3%54.2%+2.8%–6.9%
Minnesota44.9%45.0%46.4%52.7%–0.1%–6.3%
Mississippi57.9%55.3%40.1%43.8%+2.6%–3.7%
Missouri56.8%53.8%38.1%44.4%+3.0%–6.3%
Montana56.2%55.4%35.8%41.7%+0.8%–5.9%
Nebraska58.8%59.8%33.7%38.0%–1.0%–4.3%
Nevada45.5%45.7%47.9%52.4%–0.2%–4.5%
New Hampshire46.6%46.4%47.0%52.0%+0.2%–5.0%
New Jersey41.0%40.6%55.0%58.4%+0.4%–3.4%
New Mexico40.0%42.8%48.3%53.0%–2.8%–4.7%
New York36.5%35.2%59.0%63.4%+1.3%–4.4%
North Carolina49.8%50.4%46.2%48.4%–0.6%–2.2%
North Dakota63.0%58.3%27.2%38.7%+4.7%–11.5%
Ohio51.7%47.7%43.6%50.7%+4.0%–7.1%
Oklahoma65.3%66.8%28.9%33.2%–1.5%–4.3%
Oregon39.1%42.2%50.1%54.2%–3.1%–4.1%
Pennsylvania48.2%46.6%47.5%52.0%+1.6%–4.5%
Rhode Island38.9%35.2%54.4%62.7%+3.7%–8.3%
South Carolina54.9%54.6%40.7%44.1%+0.3%–3.4%
South Dakota61.5%57.9%31.7%39.9%+3.6%–8.2%
Tennessee60.7%59.5%34.7%39.1%+1.2%–4.4%
Texas52.2%57.2%43.2%41.4%–5.0%+1.8%
Utah45.5%72.8%27.5%24.8%–27.3%+2.7%
Vermont30.3%31.0%56.7%66.6%–0.7%–9.9%
Virginia44.4%47.3%49.7%51.2%–2.9%–1.5%
Washington36.8%41.3%52.5%56.2%–4.5%–3.7%
West Virginia68.5%62.3%26.4%35.5%+6.2%–9.1%
Wisconsin47.2%45.9%46.5%52.8%+1.3%–6.3%
Wyoming67.4%68.6%21.6%27.8%–1.2%–6.2%
Total46.1%47.2%48.2%51.1%–1.1%–2.9%

References


Other websites