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.
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.
Caucuses
The two major parties held caucuses on different days: Republicans on March 1, and Democrats on March 26.
Republican caucus
Controversy
At the Republican National Convention, Alaska's floor votes were all recorded for Donald Trump by the convention secretary, even though the Alaska delegation read their votes according to the results of the caucuses: 12 for Cruz, 11 for Trump and 5 for Rubio. An Alaska delegate challenged the results as recorded. However, RNC chair Reince Priebus defended the actions of the convention secretary, saying that the delegates were bound to Trump.
General election
Political landscape in Alaska
The state of Alaska has given its electoral votes to the Republican ticket in every election year since 1968 and only once to a Democratic ticket since statehood. However, in 2012, it had the largest swing in favor of the Democratic Party with President Obama only losing by 14 points compared to his 2008 loss by 22 points. This has been explained by the presence of Alaska governor Sarah Palin running on the 2008 Republican ticket (as John McCain's running mate) and not in 2012.
Alaska also has a history of supporting third-party candidates at the presidential level. Alaska was the second-best state for Ross Perot in the 1992 election, awarding him 28% of the vote. Alaska was Nader's strongest state in the 2000 presidential election, giving him 10% in his presidential bid. Alaska was also the third-best state for Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson in the 2012 election, giving him 2.46% of the vote, behind Johnson's home state of New Mexico, and Montana. For this reason, Alaska has been considered to be one of Libertarian party nominee Gary Johnson's strongest states in the 2016 election.
Turnout
According to the Alaska Division of Election, voter turnout was about 60.77%, 321,271 ballots were cast out of 528,671 voters.
Predictions
The following are the final 2016 predictions from various organizations for Alaska as of Election Day.
Results
Boroughs and census areas that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area (largest city: Craig)
Boroughs and census areas that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Haines Borough (largest census-designated place: Haines)
By congressional district
Due to the state's low population, only one congressional district is allocated. This district, an at-large district because it covers the entire state, is thus equivalent to the statewide election results.
Analysis
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. Clinton was able to flip Haines Borough Democratic for the first time since 1992.
Trump became the first Republican since Ronald Reagan in 1984 to win without Kusilvak Census Area, the first since Reagan in 1980 to win without Nome Census Area, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Northwest Arctic Borough, and Dillingham Census Area, the first since Richard Nixon in 1972 to win without North Slope Borough, and the first ever to win without Aleutians West Census Area, Haines Borough, and Lake and Peninsula Borough.
Electors
Alaska had 3 electors in 2016; all of them voted for Donald Trump for president and Mike Pence for vice president.
The electors were:
- Sean R. Parnell
- Jacqueline F. Tupou
- Carolyn B. Leman