Some Statistics Relevant To The 2016 Presidential Election
Note on numbers:
The numbers used here were compiled from various US mainstream news outlets in the month or so after the election.
All figures rounded to the nearest million.
Percentages rounded to the nearest whole unless under 2%.
Population:
There are 250 million adults in the US.
19 million were ineligible to vote, primarily due to felony convictions. - 7% of all adults.
231 million were eligible to vote - 92% of all adults.
200 million were registered to vote - 80 % of all adults and 87% of eligible adults.
31 million were eligible but did not register - 12% of all adults and 13% of those eligible.
There were 136 million cast ballots for president - 54% of all adults, 59% of those eligible, and 68% of those registered.
Voting Patterns:
63 million voted for Trump - 25% of all adults, 27% of eligible voters, and 32% of registered voters, and 45% of actual voters.
65 million voted for Clinton - 26% of all adults, 28% of eligible voters, and 33% of registered voters, and 48% actual voters.
8 million voted for a third party - 3% of all adults and of eligible voters, 4% of registered voters, and 6% of actual voters.
Non-Voting Patterns:
114 million did not vote for president at all - 46% of all adults.
95 million were eligible voters but did not vote for president - 38% of all adults and 41% of those eligible.
64 million went to the trouble to register to vote but did not vote - 26% of all adults, 28% of eligible adults, and 32% of registered voters. Also, this is 47% of the total number of votes cast.
Oppositional Patterns – Trump:
187 million adults did not vote for Trump - 75%.
168 million eligible voters did not vote for Trump - 73%.
137 million registered voters did not vote for Trump - 69%.
73 million actual voters voted against Trump - 54%
Oppositional Patterns - Clinton:
185 million adults did not vote for Clinton - 74%.
166 million eligible voters did not vote for Clinton - 72%.
135 million registered voters did not vote for Clinton - 68%.
71 million actual voters voted against Clinton - 52%.
Comparative Patterns:
No candidate got an actual majority (>50%) of the vote.
The number of votes cast against Trump was a majority.
The number of votes cast against Clinton was a majority.
The difference between Clinton and Trump's vote total was:
.8% of all adults,
.9% of all eligible voters,
1% of all registered voters,
1.5% of all votes cast,
25% of all third party votes,
1.8% of the total number of non-voters,
2% of eligible voters,
and 3% of total adults.
The number of people who registered to vote but did not do so exceeded the vote total for Trump and was within a million votes of Clinton.
The numbers of adults in all categories who did not vote for Trump far exceeded those who did, as did those who did not vote for Clinton.
2016 saw the lowest voter turnout percentage wise since 1996 - 54% of adults in 2016 versus 50% in 2000. (Note that percentages give a more accurate comparison due to population growth.)
Turnout for other recent elections:
2012: 55%
2008: 57%
2004: 56%
2000: 50%
1996: 49%