A Reminder of Why Every Vote Counts
Election Loser's Percentages
Most elections for president hinge on a small percentage of voters (less than 10%) voting for the winner instead of for the loser. NOTE: In original post I had winner and loser in the post reversed.
The history of winners and losers percentages in presidential elections shows that the voting division between political parties is quite small. In most elections the loser got 40% or more of the votes - not far from 51%.
Based on my original post of December 31, 2020.
Last edited Thu Dec 8, 2022, 12:37 am CST. Bolding of loser's percentage has been removed for this posting.
Data gathered from Dave Leips site.
Only 4 times since the American Civil War has the popular vote loser been elected president. In every case it was a Republican candidate that lost the popular vote but won election. (1876, 1888, 2000, 2016).
In 27 of the the 41 elections listed below the loser has garnered more than 40% of the popular vote. That is, in 65.9% or almost in 2 out of 3 elections the loser had almost 1/2 of the voting public in his or her favor.
Only Democratic and Republican party's percentages are shown.
1st column shows the election year, 2nd column the Democratic party percentage of the popular vote, 3rd column the Republican party percentage of the popular vote. In all elections except the 4 noted the winner of the popular vote was elected to the presidency.
Year****Dem%****GOP%
2020****51.27%***46.82%
2016****48.02%***45.93% POP LOSER STILL ELECTED
2012****51.01%***47.15%
2008****52.86%***45.60%
2004****48.26%***50.73%
2000****48.38%***47.87% POP LOSER STILL ELECTED
1996****49.23%***40.72%
1992****43.01%***37.45%
1988****45.65%***53.37%
1984****40.56%***58.77%
1980****41.01%***50.75%
1976*** 50.08%*** 48.01%
1972*** 37.52%*** 60.67%
1968*** 42.72%*** 43.42%
1964*** 61.05%*** 38.47%
1960*** 49.72%*** 49.55%
1956*** 41.97%*** 57.37%
1952*** 44.33%*** 55.18%
1948*** 49.55%*** 45.07%
1944*** 53.39%*** 45.89%
1940*** 54.72%*** 44.77%
1936*** 60.80%*** 36.54%
1932*** 57.41%*** 39.65%
1928*** 40.79%*** 58.22%
1924*** 28.82%*** 54.03%
1920*** 34.12%*** 60.35%
1916*** 49.25%*** 46.11%
1912*** 41.83%*** 23.18%
1908*** 43.04%*** 51.57%
1904*** 37.59%*** 56.42%
1900*** 45.51%*** 51.66%
1896*** 46.71%*** 51.02%
1892*** 46.02%*** 43.01%
1888*** 48.63%*** 47.80% POP LOSER STILL ELECTED
1884*** 48.85%*** 48.28%
1880*** 48.22%*** 48.31%
1876*** 50.92%*** 47.92% POP LOSER STILL ELECTED
1872*** 43.78%*** 55.58%
1868*** 47.34%*** 52.66%
1864*** 44.95%*** 55.03%
1860*** 29.52%*** 39.65% "
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