New York 2016 Presidential Election Overview
In the 2016 U.S. presidential election, New York cast its 29 electoral votes for the Democratic candidate. The state has 29 electoral votes based on its congressional representation and population share from the latest reapportionment data. New York has voted Democratic in every presidential election since 1988, and the 2016 result followed that trend with a clear margin in the popular vote. Hillary Clinton received 59.0% of the New York vote, while Donald Trump received 36.5%, according to official state Board of Elections results. The remaining votes went to third-party candidates, including Gary Johnson and Jill Stein. New York City and its surrounding counties provided the largest Democratic margins, while upstate and rural areas favored the Republican candidate. The state's role in the Electoral College made it a key destination for campaign spending and advertising, even though it was not a traditional swing state. Voter registration data showed a significant increase in active registered voters compared with previous cycles, reflecting broader national trends in political engagement.
Turnout in New York for the 2016 presidential election reached about 55.5% of the eligible voting population, according to the U.S. Election Project. This turnout rate was slightly below the national average but consistent with recent presidential cycles in the state. Mail-in and early voting options were limited in 2016 compared with later reforms, so most ballots were cast on Election Day. The New York State Board of Elections reported that the highest turnout came from urban counties such as Kings, Queens, and New York County, where Democratic margins were largest. In contrast, several rural upstate counties recorded some of the lowest turnout rates in the state. The overall result reinforced New York's status as a reliably Democratic state in presidential contests, while highlighting geographic divides between the city and the rest of the state. Campaign finance disclosures from the Federal Election Commission show that both major campaigns and outside groups spent millions on advertising in the New York media market during the final weeks of the race.
Key Counties and Demographic Shifts
New York City's five boroughs delivered overwhelming support for the Democratic candidate, with Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx recording some of the highest vote shares in the state. Kings County, home to Brooklyn, saw more than 76% of the presidential vote go to the Democratic ticket. These boroughs accounted for a large share of the state's total votes and were central to the Democratic margin. In the suburbs of Westchester and Nassau counties, the Democratic candidate also held strong leads, reflecting demographic shifts toward younger, more diverse, and more urbanized voters. Meanwhile, counties in the Hudson Valley, Central New York, and the Southern Tier leaned Republican, with many providing margins above 60% for the Republican candidate. The 2016 result highlighted a growing urban-rural divide in New York politics, with population density and education levels closely correlated with voting patterns. These patterns aligned with national trends documented by Pew Research Center, which tracks how demographic factors shape electoral outcomes across states.
Immigration status and language access also played a role in shaping turnout and voter preferences in New York. Counties with large immigrant populations, including Queens and Bronx, saw strong Democratic margins, which advocates linked to outreach efforts and issues such as immigration policy and healthcare access. The state's Working Families Party and other minor parties drew support from progressive voters, while the Conservative Party maintained influence in some upstate districts. According to campaign finance data from the Federal Election Commission, outside spending in the New York media market focused heavily on television and digital ads targeting suburban and urban voters. The 2016 cycle also saw increased attention to down-ballot races, which can affect voter mobilization and turnout for presidential contests. These county-level dynamics illustrate how New York's electoral map reflects both long-standing partisan patterns and emerging demographic changes.