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| November 2016 United States elections | |
|---|---|
| Election name | November 2016 United States elections |
| Country | United States |
| Type | presidential, congressional, gubernatorial, state, local |
| Election date | November 8, 2016 |
| Previous election | 2014 United States elections |
| Next election | 2018 United States elections |
November 2016 United States elections were held on November 8, 2016, and included the election of the President and Vice President, all 435 members of the United States House of Representatives, 34 of 100 members of the United States Senate, 12 gubernatorial races, and numerous state and local contests. The cycle featured nominees from the Republican Party (United States), the Democratic Party (United States), third-party campaigns including the Libertarian Party (United States) and the Green Party (United States), and independent candidacies, producing outcomes that reshaped control of federal branches, influenced state governments, and triggered international reactions.
The 2016 elections followed the 2012 United States presidential election and the 2014 United States elections, occurring amid debates over the legacy of the Barack Obama administration, disputes within the Tea Party movement, and shifts in alignments involving the Democratic National Committee, the Republican National Committee, and labor organizations such as the AFL–CIO. Campaign finance developments traced to Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and judicial decisions like McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission affected spending by entities tied to figures such as Sheldon Adelson and George Soros. International events including the Syrian Civil War, the European migrant crisis, and relations with Russia under Vladimir Putin informed foreign policy debate alongside domestic issues like the aftermath of the Great Recession, taxation disputes involving Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump business interests, and controversies surrounding the Affordable Care Act and the Supreme Court of the United States nominations.
The presidential contest featured Donald Trump as the Republican nominee and Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee, with running mates Mike Pence and Tim Kaine respectively; third-party tickets included Gary Johnson with Bill Weld and Jill Stein with Ajamu Baraka. The Electoral College outcome diverged from the Popular vote in United States presidential elections as Clinton won the popular vote while Trump secured victory through key swing states including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, altering control of the executive branch and engaging institutions such as the Electoral College and the Federal Election Commission. In congressional races, Republicans maintained a majority in the United States Senate with victories by incumbents and challengers in states like Missouri, North Carolina, and Tennessee, while Democrats gained seats in the United States House of Representatives composition debates remained about redistricting and the role of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.
State-level contests included gubernatorial races in New York, California, Texas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Oregon among others, with outcomes affecting state executive leadership and policy on issues tied to the Affordable Care Act, criminal justice reforms influenced by actors like Van Jones and organizations such as the ACLU, and ballot initiatives in states like California and Florida. Legislative elections across statehouses—from the Texas Legislature to the New York State Assembly—shifted partisan control in some chambers and influenced redistricting processes ahead of census-related reapportionment. Local mayoral elections in cities including New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles shaped municipal priorities connected to transit authorities such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and law enforcement agencies like the New York Police Department.
Voter participation in 2016 involved analyses by the United States Census Bureau, the Pew Research Center, and academic institutions like Harvard University and the University of Michigan, which examined turnout disparities across age cohorts, racial and ethnic groups, and educational attainment. Exit polling linked support patterns to demographic blocs such as white voters without college degrees, African American voters, Hispanic and Latino American voters, and Asian American voters, with geographic concentrations in the Rust Belt and the Sun Belt proving decisive. Factors including campaign engagement by the Democratic National Committee and outreach efforts by labor unions like the Service Employees International Union influenced turnout, while voter registration drives faced litigation involving the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and state laws debated in courts including the Supreme Court of the United States.
Campaign dynamics featured televised debates moderated by entities such as the Commission on Presidential Debates, digital strategies using platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and fundraising activities tied to political action committees including Super PACs and organizations such as Priorities USA Action and American Crossroads. Major issues included trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, immigration policies referencing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, criminal justice topics highlighted by incidents in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, and healthcare debates around the Affordable Care Act. Controversies encompassed the 2016 Democratic National Committee email leak, the Hillary Clinton email controversy, investigations into connections with Russia including inquiries about WikiLeaks disclosures, and questions about conduct involving private enterprises like the Trump Organization, prompting probes by agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The election resulted in the inauguration of the President and Vice President, followed by policy reversals and nomination processes impacting the Supreme Court of the United States and agencies like the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency. Post-election responses included legal challenges, recounts requested in states such as Michigan and Wisconsin, and protests organized by groups like Black Lives Matter and activists associated with MoveOn.org. International reactions came from governments including United Kingdom, China, and Germany, while subsequent investigations by committees in the United States Congress and special counsels addressed alleged foreign interference and campaign contacts, setting the stage for political and legal developments in the 2017–2018 period.