In today's world, 2016 United States presidential election in Maine has become a topic of great relevance and interest to a wide spectrum of people. Whether due to its impact on society, the economy, the environment or culture, 2016 United States presidential election in Maine is a topic that leaves no one indifferent. Over the years, it has been debated, studied and analyzed from different perspectives, which has generated endless opinions, theories and discoveries. In this article, we will delve deeper into 2016 United States presidential election in Maine and explore its different facets, with the aim of offering a comprehensive and enriching vision of this topic that is so relevant today.
Maine was once one of the most Republican states in the nation. It voted for the Democratic ticket 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 prior to the election, Maine shifted dramatically and unexpectedly towards the Republicans, with Clinton's 2.96% margin of victory the narrowest for a Democrat since 1988, when Republicans last won the state, and well down on Obama's 15.29% margin in 2012. As a measure of how Republican Maine once was at the presidential level, Trump is only the third Republican to win the White House without winning the popular vote in Maine after Richard Nixon in 1968 and George W. Bush in both his 2000 and 2004 campaigns.
In addition to the historic electoral vote split in Maine, this marked the first time that such a split occurred after Maine began awarding electoral votes based on congressional districts in 1972. This was also the second time that a state split its Electoral College vote by congressional district since Nebraska in 2008.
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.
Maine Republican municipal caucuses, March 5, 2016
Delegates were awarded to candidates who got 10% or more of the vote proportionally.
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.
On March 13, 2016, it was announced that Jill Stein had won the Maine Green Independent Party caucuses.
Maine Green Party presidential caucus, February 27 – March 19, 2016
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, Woodcock later ordered that they be given until July 12 to collect the necessary signatures. 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.
General election
Maine distributes 2 EVs based on the statewide vote and 1 EV for each congressional district's vote.
Statewide, Hillary Clinton won every pre-election poll but one with margins ranging from 3 to 11 points. The average of the last two polls showed Hillary Clinton ahead of Donald Trump 46.5% to 41% statewide.
Statewide Polls
Poll source
Date(s) administered
Sample size
Margin of error
Hillary Clinton (D)
Donald Trump (R)
Others
Undecided
Maine People's Resource Center
November 2–3, 2016
450
4.7%
49%
35%
11%
5%
Maine People's Resource Center
October 24–26, 2016
429
4.7%
45%
33%
13%
9%
Maine People's Resource Center
October 14–15, 2016
469
4.5%
46%
36%
12%
7%
Maine People's Resource Center
October 7–9, 2016
468
4.5%
49%
32%
11%
8%
University of New Hampshire
September 15–20, 2016
50%
28%
14%
—
Maine People's Resource Center
September 15–17, 2016
440
4.7%
41%
30%
17%
12%
University of New Hampshire
June 15–21, 2016
48%
33%
16%
3%
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
November 2–3, 2016
49%
35%
7%
4%
6
450
± 3.4%
Maine People's Resource Center
October 24–26, 2016
45%
33%
9%
4%
12
429
± 4.7%
Maine People's Resource Center
October 14–15, 2016
45.5%
35.5%
7.9%
4%
10
469
± 4.5%
Maine People's Resource Center
October 7–9, 2016
48.7%
32.3%
7.3%
3.4%
16.4
468
± 4.5%
Maine People's Resource Center
September 15–17, 2016
41%
30%
12%
5%
11
440
± 4.7%
Colby College/Boston Globe
September 4–10, 2016
49%
31%
9%
5%
18
382
± 5.3%
Emerson College
September 2–5, 2016
52%
30%
9%
2%
22
404
1st congressional district
Hillary Clinton won every poll in the 1st Congressional District. The average of the last three polls had her leading 49% to 36%.
2nd congressional district
Donald Trump won most of the polls conducted in Maine's 2nd district. He was ahead anywhere from 3 to 11 points, although Hillary Clinton won the last poll 44% to 42%. An average of the last two polls showed Trump leading Hillary Clinton 41.5% to 41%.
^ abcd"Methodology"(PDF). Maine People's Resource Center. November 1, 2016. Archived(PDF) from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
^ abcd"Methodology"(PDF). Maine People's Resource Center. October 21, 2016. Archived(PDF) from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2016.
^ abcd"Methodology"(PDF). Maine People's Resource Center. October 12, 2016. Archived(PDF) from the original on October 12, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
^ abcd"Methodology"(PDF). Maine People's Resource Center. September 20, 2016. Archived(PDF) from the original on September 22, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2016.