If you still find yourself arguing about the 2016 election at Thanksgiving, you aren’t alone. It was one of those "where were you when it happened" moments that fundamentally shifted how we look at American math. Specifically, the math of the popular vote versus the Electoral College. People always ask: how many votes did Hillary get?
The short answer is 65,853,514.
That is a massive number. To put it in perspective, she received nearly 2.9 million more individual votes than Donald Trump. Yet, as we all know, she didn't win the presidency. It’s a quirk of the U.S. system that feels like a glitch in the matrix to some and a vital protective feature to others.
The Final Count: Breaking Down the Numbers
The official certified results from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) tell a very specific story. Hillary Clinton ended the night—well, the weeks of counting after the night—with 65,853,514 votes. That gave her 48.2% of the popular vote share.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, brought in 62,984,828 votes. That’s roughly 46.1%.
When you do the math, the gap is exactly 2,868,686 votes. That is the largest popular vote margin ever for a candidate who lost the Electoral College. It surpassed Al Gore’s 2000 margin by a long shot; Gore only led George W. Bush by about 540,000 votes.
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Honestly, the numbers are dizzying. We’re talking about a difference equivalent to the entire population of Chicago.
Where did the votes come from?
Clinton’s strength was concentrated in high-population states. In California alone, she beat Trump by over 4 million votes. That one state basically accounts for her entire national lead and then some. She also dominated in New York and Illinois.
But the Electoral College doesn't care about "running up the score" in blue states.
The Electoral College Reality Check
While the question of how many votes did Hillary get is important for historical context, the number that actually mattered was 227.
That was her final Electoral College tally.
Initially, on election night, she was projected to get 232. However, the 2016 election featured a record number of "faithless electors." These are members of the Electoral College who decide to vote for someone other than the candidate they were pledged to. Five Democratic electors who were supposed to vote for Clinton ended up casting ballots for people like Bernie Sanders, Colin Powell, and Faith Spotted Eagle.
Trump also lost two electors to this phenomenon, finishing with 304 instead of the 306 he won on election night.
The "Blue Wall" Crumbling
The real reason those 65 million votes didn't result in a win was the "Blue Wall." This refers to a group of Midwestern states—Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin—that had voted Democratic for decades.
Trump won these three states by a combined total of roughly 77,000 votes.
Think about that. 77,000 people in three states decided the presidency, effectively outweighing a nearly 3-million-vote lead nationwide. It’s why campaign managers today obsessed over "swing voters" in specific zip codes rather than trying to win over every single person in the country.
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Why These 65 Million Votes Still Matter
You might think the popular vote is just a trivia answer. It's not.
The fact that the winner of the most votes has lost the presidency twice in the last quarter-century has sparked a massive movement for reform. It led to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC). This is an agreement where states promise to give their electoral votes to whoever wins the national popular vote.
So far, 17 states and the District of Columbia have joined. They represent 209 electoral votes. They need 270 to make the plan go live.
A Shift in Campaign Strategy
Because of how many votes Hillary get and still lose, the 2020 and 2024 campaigns looked totally different. Democrats stopped taking the Midwest for granted. Republicans started looking for ways to cut into Democratic margins in big cities to prevent being totally swamped in the popular tally.
Nuance matters here. Some experts, like those at the Pew Research Center, pointed out that Clinton’s "voter efficiency" was low. She gained votes where she didn't need them and lost them where every single ballot was gold.
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Misconceptions About the 2016 Tally
One thing you’ll hear in internet comments is that "illegal votes" accounted for the difference.
There is zero evidence for this.
Multiple audits, state certifications, and court challenges have upheld the 65.8 million figure. In fact, a 2017 commission established to investigate voter fraud was disbanded without finding any evidence of widespread illegal voting that could have changed the outcome or the margins.
Another common myth is that third-party candidates only hurt Clinton.
While Gary Johnson (Libertarian) and Jill Stein (Green Party) took millions of votes, research suggests they drew from both sides. Johnson, who got about 4.5 million votes, actually pulled many "Never Trump" Republicans who might have otherwise stayed home or held their noses for the GOP.
Taking Action: What You Can Do With This Info
Understanding the 2016 data isn't just about looking backward. It’s about being a more informed voter today. If you want to engage with this topic beyond just knowing the stats, here are a few ways to get involved:
- Research the NPVIC: Check if your state has joined the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. If they haven't and you feel strongly about it, you can contact your state representatives.
- Look at Local Data: Most people focus on the national number. Go to your county’s election board website and look up the 2016 results for your specific town. You’ll see exactly how your neighbors contributed to those 65 million votes.
- Follow the FEC: The Federal Election Commission is the "source of truth" for these numbers. Following their reports on current elections can help you spot misinformation before it goes viral.
The 2016 election remains a case study in how the U.S. Constitution balances the power of the people with the power of the states. Whether you think the system is broken or working exactly as intended, the 65,853,514 votes cast for Hillary Clinton remain a permanent, unchangeable part of American history.