November 8, 2016 2020 → 48.18% 47.46% Popular vote 2,970,733 Party Republican Running mate Mike Pence | Turnout 70.11% Date 8 November 2016 Home state New York Percentage 48.58% Nominee Donald Trump | |
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Trump
40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90% Clinton
40–50%
50–60%
80–90% | ||
The 2016 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania took place on November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 general election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participate. Pennsylvania voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote.
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On April 26, 2016, in the presidential primaries, voters expressed their preferences for the Democratic, Republican, and Green parties' respective nominees for President. Pennsylvania is a closed primary state, meaning voters must have been registered to participate in their respective party primary.
Donald Trump won Pennsylvania by a 0.70% margin (44,292 votes out of more than 6,000,000 cast). Prior to the election, major news organizations were conflicted about whether Pennsylvania would be either leaning Republican or leaning Democratic. Donald Trump's appeal to Rust Belt workers, combined with the traditional Republican support coming from rural areas of the state, overtook the urban vote, making him the first Republican candidate for President to carry Pennsylvania since George H. W. Bush in 1988. Additionally, this was the first time since 1948 that the Democratic candidate performed worse in Pennsylvania than in the nation at large; in fact it was the first time since 1948 in which the Democratic candidate who ultimately led in the nationwide popular vote failed to carry Pennsylvania.
Green Party
Pennsylvania held a series of caucuses throughout April, culminating with a meeting on April 30 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where delegates were assigned.
The Democratic National Convention
From July 25 through to July 28, 2016, Philadelphia hosted The Democratic convention. It was held at the Wells Fargo Center with ancillary meetings at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was elected as the party's nominee for president by a 59.67% majority of delegates present at the convention roll call, defeating primary rival Senator Bernie Sanders, who received 39.16% of votes from delegates, and becoming the first female candidate to be formally nominated by a major national party as a presidential candidate in the United States. Her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine, was chosen by delegates as the party's nominee for vice president by acclamation.