United States presidential election in Nebraska, 2016



The 2016 United States presidential election in Nebraska took place on November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election. Nebraska voters chose five representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice-President.

Nebraska was won by incumbent President William C. Rutherford (D-Texas), with 52.61% of the popular vote, against Senator Thomas P. Leach (R-Arizona), with 47.39% of the popular vote.

The Cornhusker State was President Rutherford's weakest in the Great Plains region, and one of two where he did not win every congressional district, the other being Oklahoma. Senator Leach carried the state's 3rd district which encompassed the western half of the state, while Rutherford carried the 1st and 2nd in the eastern half. Leach won the electoral vote from the 3rd district, while Rutherford earned the two votes of the other districts, as well as the at-large vote. Rutherford carried 38 counties to Leach's 55. Nebraska weighed in as 19.98% more Republican than the national average.

This was the first time since 1984 that a Democratic presidential candidate won Nebraska at large, as well as Adams County, Sarpy County, Cass County, Washington County, Saunders County, Gage County, Dixon County, Nemaha County, Richardson County, Boone County, Lincoln County, Polk County, Fillmore County, Johnson County, Cedar County, Buffalo County, Seward County, Hall County, Jefferson County, Thayer County, Webster County, Platte County, Nuckolls County, Clay County, Colfax County, Franklin County, Howard County, Nance County, Logan County, and Kearney County. Rutherford's victory followed the elections of 2004 and 2012, in which Democrats had carried the electoral vote from the 2nd district.