2016 United States presidential election in Alaska
The 2016 United States presidential election in Alaska was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, as part of the nationwide presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Alaska 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. Alaska has three electoral votes in the Electoral College.
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Turnout | 60.77% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Alaska |
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Trump carried the state with 51.28% of the vote, while Clinton received 36.55% of the vote. This marked a return to Alaska's streak of giving Democrats under 40% of the vote share, after Barack Obama won just over 40% in 2012. Alaska has voted Republican in every election since 1968, and since its admission to the Union in 1959, it has only voted for the Democratic candidate on one occasion: Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. Clinton was able to flip Haines Borough Democratic for the first time since 1992.
The state is known for strongly supporting third parties, including Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson in 2012; Alaska was his third-strongest state. He ran again as the Libertarian Party's 2016 nominee and appeared on the ballot in Alaska. On the day of the election, he garnered 5.88% of the vote, making Alaska his third-strongest state again after New Mexico and North Dakota. Johnson's performance was the best for a Libertarian since 1980, and the best third party performance since Ralph Nader in 2000.
This is the first time since 1984 that a Republican won without Kusilvak Census Area, the first time since 1980 that they won without Nome, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Northwest Arctic Borough, and Dillingham Census Area. The first since 1972 to win without North Slope Borough. The first ever to win without Aleutians West Census Area, Haines Borough, and Lake and Peninsula Borough.