2016 United States presidential election in Maine

The 2016 United States presidential election in Maine was held on November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Maine voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting the Republican Party's nominee, businessman Donald Trump, and running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence against Democratic Party nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her running mate, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine.

Main article: 2016 United States presidential election
2016 United States presidential election in Maine
November 8, 2016
Turnout72.53%
 
Nominee Hillary Clinton Donald Trump Gary Johnson
Party Democratic Republican Libertarian
Home state New York New York New Mexico
Running mate Tim Kaine Mike Pence William Weld
Electoral vote 3 1 0
Popular vote 357,735 335,593 38,105
Percentage 47.83% 44.87% 5.09%
President before election

Barack Obama
Democratic

 Elected President

Donald Trump
Republican

Treemap of the popular vote by county.
Elections in Maine

On March 5 and 6, 2016, in the caucuses, voters expressed their preferences for the Republican, Democratic, and Green parties' respective nominees for president. Registered members of each party only voted in their party's caucus, while voters who were unaffiliated chose any one primary in which to vote.

On election day, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton carried Maine's two at-large electoral votes with a plurality and won Maine's 1st congressional district while Republican nominee (and national election winner) Donald Trump won Maine's 2nd congressional district, making him the first Republican to do so since George H. W. Bush in 1988 and making him the first Republican to win an electoral vote from a New England state since George W. Bush won New Hampshire in 2000.

Maine was once one of the most Republican states in the East. It voted Democratic only three times (1912, 1964 and 1968) from 1856 to 1988, but a Democrat has won the state's popular vote in every election since then. Although regarded as a safe blue state, Maine shifted dramatically and unexpectedly towards the Republicans, with Hillary Clinton's 2.9% margin of victory the narrowest for a Democrat since 1988, when Republicans last won the state, and well down on Obama's 15.3% margin just 4 years earlier. As a measure of how Republican Maine once was at the presidential level, Trump is only the second Republican to win the White House without winning the popular vote in Maine. George W. Bush lost the state in both of his campaigns.

This was the first time since the 1828 presidential election of Democratic nominee Andrew Jackson that an electoral vote split occurred in Maine and the first time that a split occurred after Maine began awarding electoral votes based on congressional districts in 1972. This was also the first time that a state without the use of a faithless elector split its electoral college vote since 2008 in Nebraska.

Primary elections

Democratic caucuses
Democratic caucus results by county.
  Bernie Sanders
Maine Democratic caucuses, March 6, 2016
Candidate State convention delegates Estimated delegates
Count Percentage Pledged Unpledged Total
Bernie Sanders 2,226 64.17% 17 1 18
Hillary Clinton 1,231 35.49% 8 4 12
Uncommitted 12 0.35% 0 0 0
Total 3,469 100% 25 5 30
Source: The Green Papers

Bernie Sanders swept all of Maine's counties and also won a large share of the democratic caucus votes in New England.

Republican caucuses
Republican caucus results by county.
  Donald Trump
  Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, and John Kasich were all on the ballot for the 2016 Maine state Republican caucuses. The caucuses were held on March 5, 2016, in the following counties in Maine: Cumberland, Franklin, Piscataquis, Somerset, Aroostook, Androscoggin, Sagadahoc, Kennebec, Lincoln, Knox, Hancock, Waldo, Washington, York, Oxford, and Penobscot.

Ted Cruz won the caucus with 45.9% of the vote and was awarded 12 delegates, with Donald Trump in second, receiving 32.59% of the votes and 9 delegates.[1]

Maine Republican municipal caucuses, March 5, 2016
Candidate Votes Percentage Actual delegate count
Bound Unbound Total
Ted Cruz 8,550 45.90% 12 0 12
Donald Trump 6,070 32.59% 9 0 9
John Kasich 2,270 12.19% 2 0 2
Marco Rubio 1,492 8.01% 0 0 0
Ben Carson (withdrawn) 132 0.71% 0 0 0
Rand Paul (withdrawn) 55 0.3% 0 0 0
Jeb Bush (withdrawn) 31 0.17% 0 0 0
Carly Fiorina (withdrawn) 17 0.09% 0 0 0
Mike Huckabee (withdrawn) 10 0.05% 0 0 0
Unprojected delegates: 0 0 0
Total: 18,627 100% 23 0 23
Source: The Green Papers

Green caucuses

Maine held a series of caucuses throughout the state between February 27 and March 19. The Maine Green Independent Party didn't compile the results until the state convention on May 7, during which it then assigned delegates based on the results.[2][3]

On March 13, 2016, it was announced that Jill Stein had won the Maine Green Independent Party caucuses.[4]

Maine Green Party presidential caucus, February 27 – March 19, 2016
Candidate Votes Percentage National delegates
Jill Stein - - -
William Kreml - - -
Kent Mesplay - - -
Sedinam Moyowasifza-Curry - - -
Darryl Cherney - - -
Uncommitted - - -
Total - - -

Libertarian convention

The Libertarian Party nominated its ticket, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson for president and former Massachusetts Governor William Weld for vice president, at its national convention in Orlando, Florida, on May 29, 2016.[5]

Until July 13, 2016, the Libertarian Party was not a legally recognized party in Maine. A 2013 change in the ballot access law permitted a party to gain recognition if they enroll 5,000 Maine voters in the party. The Libertarian Party of Maine turned approximately 6,500 signatures in to the Maine Secretary of State's office in 2015, but Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap invalidated 2,000 of them, bringing the total below the threshold required. The party then sued Dunlap, claiming Maine's ballot access requirements were unconstitutionally unreasonable. While losing an initial ruling by U.S. District Court Judge John Woodcock,[6] Woodcock later ordered that they be given until July 12 to collect the necessary signatures.[7] On July 13, Dunlap certified that 5,150 signatures had been validated, surpassing the threshold required to allow their candidates on the ballot. Maintenance of the status required obtaining 10,000 presidential votes in the general election.[8]

General election

Maine distributes 2 EVs based on the statewide vote and 1 EV for each congressional district's vote.

Polling

1st congressional district
Polls
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Hillary
Clinton (D)		 Donald
Trump (R)		 Others Undecided
Maine People's Resource Center[9] November 2–3, 2016 450 4.7% 49% 35% 11% 5%
Maine People's Resource Center[10] October 24–26, 2016 429 4.7% 45% 33% 13% 9%
Maine People's Resource Center[11] October 14–15, 2016 469 4.5% 46% 36% 12% 7%
Maine People's Resource Center[12] October 7–9, 2016 468 4.5% 49% 32% 11% 8%
University of New Hampshire[13] September 15–20, 2016 50% 28% 14% —
Maine People's Resource Center[14] September 15–17, 2016 440 4.7% 41% 30% 17% 12%
University of New Hampshire[15] June 15–21, 2016 48% 33% 16% 3%

Four-way race

Poll source Date administered Hillary Clinton (D) Donald Trump (R) Gary Johnson (L) Jill Stein (G) Lead margin Sample size Margin of error
Maine People's Resource Center[9] November 2–3, 2016 49% 35% 7% 4% 6 450 ± 3.4%
Maine People's Resource Center[10] October 24–26, 2016 45% 33% 9% 4% 12 429 ± 4.7%
Maine People's Resource Center[11] October 14–15, 2016 45.5% 35.5% 7.9% 4% 10 469 ± 4.5%
Maine People's Resource Center[12] October 7–9, 2016 48.7% 32.3% 7.3% 3.4% 16.4 468 ± 4.5%
Maine People's Resource Center[14] September 15–17, 2016 41% 30% 12% 5% 11 440 ± 4.7%
Colby College/Boston Globe[16] September 4–10, 2016 49% 31% 9% 5% 18 382 ± 5.3%
Emerson College[17] September 2–5, 2016 52% 30% 9% 2% 22 404

2nd congressional district
Polls
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Hillary
Clinton (D)		 Donald
Trump (R)		 Others Undecided
Maine People's Resource Center[9] November 2–3, 2016 405 4.9% 41% 43% 10% 6%
Maine People's Resource Center[10] October 24–26, 2016 382 5% 38% 41% 11% 9%
Maine People's Resource Center[11] October 14–15, 2016 420 4.8% 38% 37% 14% 11%
Maine People's Resource Center[12] October 7–9, 2016 424 4.8% 39% 40% 13% 8%
University of New Hampshire[13] September 15–20, 2016 34% 48% 16% —
Maine People's Resource Center[14] September 15–17, 2016 396 4.9% 33% 44% 14% 9%
University of New Hampshire[15] June 15–21, 2016 36% 37% 23% 4%

Four-way race

Poll source Date administered Hillary Clinton (D) Donald Trump (R) Gary Johnson (L) Jill Stein (G) Lead margin Sample size Margin of error
Maine People's Resource Center[9] November 2–3, 2016 41% 43% 8% 3% 2 405 ± 4.9%
Maine People's Resource Center[10] October 24–26, 2016 38% 41% 8% 3% 3 382 ± 5%
Maine People's Resource Center[11] October 14–15, 2016 38% 37% 11% 4% 1 420 ± 4.8%
Maine People's Resource Center[12] October 7–9, 2016 39% 40% 10% 2% 1 424 ± 4.8%
Maine People's Resource Center[14] September 15–17, 2016 33% 44% 10% 4% 11 396 ± 4.9%
Colby College/Boston Globe[16] September 4–10, 2016 37% 47% 8% 5% 10 397 ± 5.0%
Emerson College[17] September 2–5, 2016 36% 41% 14% 1% 5 399

Statewide results
2016 United States presidential election in Maine[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Hillary Clinton 357,735 47.83%
Republican Donald Trump 335,593 44.87%
Libertarian Gary Johnson 38,105 5.09%
Green Jill Stein 14,251 1.91%
Independent Evan McMullin (write-in) 1,887 0.25%
Constitution Darrell Castle (write-in) 333 0.04%
Independent Laurence Kotlikoff (write-in) 16 0.00%
Independent Cherunda Lynn Fox (write-in) 7 0.00%
Invalid or blank votes 23,965 3.10%[19]
Majority 22,142 2.96%
Total votes 771,892 100.00%
Turnout   72.53
Democratic win

County results
Vote Break Down by County
Hillary Clinton
Democrat		 Donald Trump
Republican		 Gary Johnson
Libertarian		 Jill Stein
Green		 Evan McMullin
Independent		 Darrell Castle
Constitution		 Laurence Kotlikoff
Write-in		 Cherunda Lynn Fox
Write-in		 Invalid or blank votes Margin Total
County Congressional District Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes With Out[20] Votes With[20] Turnout
Androscoggin2nd23,00941.39%28,22750.77%3,2935.92%8831.59%1690.30%190.03%10.00%00.00%1,5972.79%5,2189.38%55,60157,198
Aroostook2nd13,38638.14%19,41955.33%1,6524.71%5161.47%1100.31%130.04%10.00%00.00%1,1603.20%6,03317.19%35,09736,257
Cumberland1st102,98159.93%57,70933.59%7,4074.31%3,2631.90%3540.21%1020.06%20.00%00.00%5,1172.89%45,27226.34%171,818176,935
Franklin2nd7,01642.55%7,91848.02%1,1036.69%3762.28%740.45%00.00%10.01%00.00%5973.48%9025.47%16,48817,085
Hancock2nd16,11750.16%13,70542.65%1,5604.86%6442.00%920.29%120.04%00.00%00.00%9252.80%2,4127.51%32,13033,055
Kennebec1st and 2nd29,30244.26%31,67547.84%3,7685.69%1,2841.94%1590.24%200.03%00.00%00.00%2,2033.22%2,3733.58%66,20868,411
Knox1st12,44353.76%9,14839.52%9484.10%5352.31%610.26%110.05%10.00%00.00%7793.26%3,29514.24%23,14723,926
Lincoln1st10,24147.63%9,72745.24%1,0394.83%4251.98%600.28%110.05%00.00%00.00%7343.30%5142.39%21,50322,237
Oxford2nd12,17239.01%16,21051.95%2,0456.55%6612.12%920.29%200.06%10.00%00.00%1,2043.72%4,03812.94%31,20132,405
Penobscot2nd32,83840.77%41,62251.68%4,3775.43%1,4171.76%2500.31%270.03%30.00%60.01%2,4752.98%8,78410.91%80,54083,015
Piscataquis2nd3,09833.74%5,40658.88%4645.05%1791.95%310.34%40.04%00.00%00.00%3363.53%2,30825.14%9,1829,518
Sagadahoc1st10,66450.33%9,30440.04%1,1785.45%4362.02%260.12%70.03%10.00%00.00%7403.31%1,3606.29%21,61622,356
Somerset2nd9,09234.88%15,00157.55%1,3625.23%5161.98%830.32%100.04%00.00%00.00%8433.13%5,90922.67%26,06426,907
Waldo2nd10,44045.98%10,37845.70%1,2205.37%5902.60%680.30%80.04%30.01%00.00%7643.26%620.28%22,70723,471
Washington2nd6,07537.12%9,09355.56%7914.83%3702.26%300.18%60.04%00.00%00.00%6573.86%3,01818.44%16,36517,022
York1st55,84448.87%50,40344.11%5,6954.98%2,0551.80%2140.19%610.05%20.00%00.00%3,7713.19%5,4414.76%114,274118,045
Overseas BallotsN/A3,01775.69%64816.26%2035.09%1012.53%140.35%20.05%00.00%00.00%631.56%2,36959.43%3,9864,049

Congressional district

Clinton took the southern 1st district while Trump carried the more rural 2nd district.[21]

District Trump Clinton Representative
1st 39.15% 53.96% Chellie Pingree
2nd 51.26% 40.97% Bruce Poliquin

See also

Notes

    References
    1. "Maine Republican Delegation 2016". www.thegreenpapers.com. Retrieved 2016-03-08.
    2. "IT'S A CRUCIAL TIME TO BE A GREEN PARTY MEMBER!". Maine Green Independent Party. 2016-01-07. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
    3. "SCHEDULED CAUCUSES". Maine Green Independent Party. 2016-01-07. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
    4. "Maine Green Independent Party holds caucuses". WCSH6.com.
    5. "Libertarian Party Selects Gary Johnson to be 2016 Nominee". C-SPAN.org. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
    6. Cousins, Christopher. "Judge rejects Libertarians' appeal to become Maine political party". The Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
    7. "Federal judge hands Maine libertarians a partial victory - The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram". 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
    8. "Libertarians become Maine's fourth political party | State & Capitol". Retrieved 2016-09-22.
    9. "MPRC November 2016 Poll" (PDF).
    10. "Methodology" (PDF). Maine People's Resource Center. November 1, 2016.
    11. "Methodology" (PDF). Maine People's Resource Center. October 21, 2016.
    12. "Methodology" (PDF). Maine People's Resource Center. October 12, 2016.
    13. "For the first time, it looks like Maine's electoral votes will be split". University of New Hampshire. Portland Press Herald. September 25, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
    14. "Methodology" (PDF). Maine People's Resource Center. September 20, 2016.
    15. "Charts: Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram poll results". University of New Hampshire. Portland Press Herald. July 7, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
    16. "Colby College/Boston Globe Election Poll". Colby College. September 13, 2016.
    17. "Polls: Trump Threatens to Flip New Jersey, Rhode Island; Clinton Leads in New England States". www.peoplespunditdaily.com. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
    18. "Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, Elections and Voting, Results, 2014 Tabulations". State.me.us. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
    19. Percentage of total ballots cast
    20. Invalid or blank votes
    21. LePage, Paul R. "Maine Certificate of Ascertainment 2016" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-01-11.
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