<P> Most national and swing state polls favored Clinton, who was strongly favored to win by most media outlets . However, Trump exceeded expectations on Election Day, especially in the Rust Belt where he swept the traditionally Democratic states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin by narrow margins . Clinton recorded lop - sided margins in large states such as California, Illinois and New York while keeping Texas, Arizona and Georgia unusually close for a recent Democratic nominee . Clinton also won safe Democratic medium - sized states such as Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington with vast margins . Clinton managed to edge out Trump in Virginia, a swing state where her running mate Tim Kaine had served as Governor . Trump also won traditional swing state Florida by a tight margin along with Republican - leaning North Carolina, further contributing to the electoral flip of the popular vote . Trump won by a large margin in Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee with most of Trump's larger wins coming in smaller states . </P> <P> When the Electoral College cast its votes on December 19, 2016, Trump received 304 votes to Clinton's 227 with seven electors defecting to other choices, the most faithless electors (2 from Trump, 5 from Clinton) in any presidential election in over a hundred years . Clinton had nonetheless received almost three million more votes (65,853,516 to 62,984,825) in the general election than Trump, giving Clinton a popular vote lead of 2.1% over Trump . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="14"> Democratic - Republican DR Democratic D Republican R </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Election </Th> <Th_colspan="3"> Winner and party </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Electoral College </Th> <Th_colspan="4"> Popular vote </Th> <Th_colspan="3"> Runner - up and party </Th> <Th> Turnout </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th_colspan="3"> </Th> <Th> Votes </Th> <Th>% </Th> <Th> Votes </Th> <Th> Margin </Th> <Th>% </Th> <Th> Margin </Th> <Th_colspan="3"> </Th> <Th>% </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1824 </Td> <Td> Adams, John Quincy Adams </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> DR </Td> <Td> 84 / 261 </Td> <Td> 32.18% </Td> <Td> 113,122 </Td> <Td> − 38,149 </Td> <Td> 30.92% </Td> <Td> − 10.44% </Td> <Td> Jackson, Andrew Jackson </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> DR </Td> <Td> 26.90% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1876 </Td> <Td> Hayes, Rutherford B. Hayes </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 185 / 369 </Td> <Td> 50.14% </Td> <Td> 4,034,311 </Td> <Td> − 254,235 </Td> <Td> 47.92% </Td> <Td> − 3.02% </Td> <Td> Tilden, Samuel J. Tilden </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 81.80% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1888 </Td> <Td> Harrison, Benjamin Harrison </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 233 / 401 </Td> <Td> 58.10% </Td> <Td> 5,443,892 </Td> <Td> − 90,596 </Td> <Td> 47.80% </Td> <Td> − 0.79% </Td> <Td> Cleveland, Grover Cleveland </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 79.30% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> Bush, George W. Bush </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 271 / 538 </Td> <Td> 50.37% </Td> <Td> 50,456,002 </Td> <Td> − 543,895 </Td> <Td> 47.87% </Td> <Td> − 0.51% </Td> <Td> Gore, Al Gore </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 51.20% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> Trump, Donald Trump </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 304 / 538 </Td> <Td> 56.50% </Td> <Td> 62,984,825 </Td> <Td> − 2,868,691 </Td> <Td> 46.09% </Td> <Td> − 2.10% </Td> <Td> Clinton, Hillary Clinton </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 55.30% </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="14"> Democratic - Republican DR Democratic D Republican R </Th> </Tr>

Presidential candidates who won popular vote but lost election