2016 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary explained

Election Name:2016 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary
Country:Wisconsin
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2008 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary
Previous Year:2008
Next Election:2020 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary
Next Year:2020
Candidate1:Bernie Sanders
Color1:228B22
Home State1:Vermont
Popular Vote1:570,192[1]
Percentage1:56.59%
Delegate Count1:48
Candidate2:Hillary Clinton
Color2:d4aa00
Home State2:New York
Popular Vote2:433,739
Percentage2:43.05%
Delegate Count2:38
Map Size:280x280px

The 2016 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary was held on April 5 in the U.S. state of Wisconsin as one of the Democratic Party's primaries ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Vermont senator Bernie Sanders won the contest with 56.5%, distancing nationwide frontrunner Hillary Clinton by 13 percentage points.

The Wisconsin Republican primary, held on the same day in conjunction with the Democratic primary, yielded a win for Ted Cruz, who distanced nationwide frontrunner Donald Trump by 13%. With no other primaries being scheduled for that day by either party and just two weeks ahead of the important New York primary, the Wisconsin primary was in the national spotlight.

The two parties' primaries were held in conjunction with this year's Wisconsin judicial elections, where Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Rebecca Bradley was confirmed for a 10-year elected term, winning over Appeals Court judge JoAnne Kloppenburg.[2]

Wisconsin provided a friendly setting for Sanders's brand of economic populism.[3] Liberals made up two-thirds of the majority-white primary electorate, and the economy, followed by income inequality, were of top concern to voters, according to exit polls.

Clinton lost Wisconsin by a narrow margin of 0.77% in the general election, against Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Procedure

State primary procedure

As Wisconsin held an open primary, residents could choose freely which party's primary they wished to participate in, when showing up at the polls on election day, regardless of their official registration with either party or none. Polling stations were opened between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Central Time.[4]

The two parties' primaries were held in conjunction with this year's spring elections that included the election of the Wisconsin Supreme Court justice.

Democratic nomination procedure

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin pledges only 86 out of 96 delegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention based on the popular vote at the primary election on the basis of proportional apportion. However, only the 18 at-large delegates and 10 pledged "Party Leaders and Elected Officials" (PLEOs) are apportioned according to the statewide vote, while the 57 district delegates are apportioned according to the vote within each of the state's eight congressional districts. The remaining ten Wisconsin delegates are unpledged "Party Leaders and Elected Officials" (PLEOs), or "Superdelegates", who may vote for whomever they wish at the party's upcoming National Convention.[5]

Candidates

While three candidates appeared on the Democratic primary ballot,[6] only Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton actively campaigned for the Wisconsin contest, after Martin O'Malley had already suspended his campaign.

Presidential debate in Milwaukee, February 2016

The Democratic Party held its sixth presidential debate on February 11, 2016 in Milwaukee, at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Moderated by PBS NewsHour anchors Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff, the debate aired on PBS and was simulcast by CNN. Participants were Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Opinion polling

See also: Statewide opinion polling for the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

Results

See also: Results of the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

Results by county

County Clinton%Sanders%
1,37547.22%1,51552.03%
1,24836.00%2,20463.57%
5,57246.11%2,96553.16%
1,48836.09%2,61963.52%
16,70142.40%22,55957.27%
82541.46%1,14957.74%
91849.04%93650.00%
Calumet 3,02842.86%4,01756.86%
Chippewa 4,02243.77%5,12755.79%
1,47342.67%1,96957.04%
4,18739.21%6,46060.49%
1,14641.61%1,59257.81%
61,40537.27%102,98662.51%
Dodge 4,50541.75%6,24957.91%
2,94346.06%3,42653.62%
3,57743.82%4,51255.27%
2,42135.95%4,27963.54%
7,68935.88%13,67463.81%
17536.92%29361.81%
5,51942.65%7,38557.07%
61047.25%66751.67%
Grant 3,06840.37%4,49159.10%
2,76638.59%4,36860.95%
87142.89%1,14856.52%
2,16440.14%3,20259.40%
43742.93%56355.30%
Jackson 1,29440.641,87258.79%
Jefferson 4,77538.60%7,55561.07%
Juneau 1,35542.21%1,83957.29%
Kenosha 10,89742.49%14,65357.13%
Kewaunee 1,49747.06%1,66752.40%
La Crosse 8,90836.93%15,15662.84%
Lafayette 1,17046.37%1,33152.75%
Langlade 1,19244.83%1,44754.42%
Lincoln 1,73241.33%2,44258.27%
Manitowoc 4,99943.37%6,45856.03%
Marathon 8,06140.66%11,67358.87%
Marinette 2,58048.59%2,69850.81%
Marquette 99442.62%1,32156.56%
Menominee 20436.36%35563.28%
100,79851.68%93,68848.02%
Monroe 2,26938.86%3,53960.61%
Oconto 2,42247.99%2,59051.32%
Oneida 2,50039.40%3,81360.09%
Outagamie 11,22839.62%17,02160.07%
Ozaukee 6,58748.75%6,89751.04%
Pepin 43543.54%56156.16%
Pierce 2,34341.82%3,20857.27%
Polk 2,16546.21%2,47652.85%
Portage 5,08835.08%9,35164.46%
Price 86237.56%1,41861.79%
Racine 14,11148.84%14,68150.82%
Richland 1,27641.55%1,78658.16%
Rock 11,26239.20%17,36060.42%
Rusk 81642.52%1,09256.90%
St. Croix 4,89545.90%5,67953.25%
Sauk 4,52738.48%7,20361.22%
Sawyer 97636.86%1,65462.46%
Shawano 2,11741.19%3,30358.44%
Sheboygan 7,14544.13%8,95255.30%
Taylor 85239.68%1,27959.57%
Trempealeau 1,98944.76%2,43054.68%
Vernon 1,93635.60%3,48164.01%
Vilas 1,41436.36%2,14760.09%
Walworth 5,18837.96%8,42661.65%
Washburn 1,05842.32%1,41956.76%
Washington 6,38845.24%7,69054.46%
Waukesha 24,83548.28%26,44251.40%
Waupaca 2,58539.68%3,89459.77%
Waushara 1,24143.45%1,60056.02%
Winnebago 11,21238.44%17,85461.22%
Wood 4,42839.46%6,75660.20%
Total 433,73943.05%570,19256.59%

Detailed results per congressional district

+ Detailed results for the Wisconsin Democratic primary, April 5, 2016[7]
DistrictTotalBernie SandersHillary Clinton
VotesDelegatesVotesDelegatesVotesDelegates
1st district104,747657,327347,4203
2nd district204,89711127,466777,4314
3rd district117,465772,043445,4223
4th district144,6591068,255576,4045
5th district100,823554,809346,0142
6th district105,348660,490344,8583
7th district98,860656,683342,1773
8th district107,841661,965345,8763
At-large delegates1,002,03619567,86511434,1718
Pledged PLEOs1,002,03610567,8656434,1714
Total1,002,03686567,86548434,17138

Analysis

Bernie Sanders scored a large victory in Wisconsin, a largely liberal and big manufacturing state. He was bolstered by a 73-26 showing among younger voters, a 64-35 showing among men, a 72-28 showing among self-identified Independents, and a 59-40 showing among white voters who comprised 83% of the electorate in the Cheese State. Sanders also won women 50–49, but lost African American voters to Clinton, 69–31. Sanders swept all income and educational attainment levels in Wisconsin.

Sanders won unions 54–46, a key demographic in the industrial Rust Belt.

Sanders swept all counties in Wisconsin but one. He was victorious in the southeast 55–45, in the southwest 62–38, and in rural northeastern and northwestern Wisconsin 57–42. He carried the major cities of Madison, which has a younger electorate, as well as Eau Claire, Green Bay, Oshkosh, and Kenosha. Clinton won in Milwaukee 51–48, likely thanks to her ardent African-American support.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wisconsin Official Primary Results . 2016-06-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161010124511/http://www.gab.wi.gov/sites/default/files/Canvass%20Results_4.pdf . 2016-10-10 . dead .
  2. News: Patrick Marley . Rebecca Bradley beats JoAnne Kloppenburg in high court race . . April 6, 2016 . April 6, 2016.
  3. News: Chozick. Amy. 2016-04-05. Bernie Sanders Wins Wisconsin Democratic Primary, Adding to Momentum (Published 2016). en-US. The New York Times. 2021-01-23. 0362-4331.
  4. Web site: Michele Gorman . How to follow voting results in Wisconsin . . April 5, 2016 . April 6, 2016.
  5. Web site: Wisconsin Democratic primary, 2016 . The Green Papers . April 6, 2016.
  6. Web site: Candidates on ballot: 2016 spring election and presidential preference vote . . March 29, 2016 . April 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160415023905/http://www.gab.wi.gov/sites/default/files/page/candidates_on_ballot_4_5_2016_spring_election_3_2_20281.pdf . April 15, 2016 . dead .
  7. http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/WI-D The Green Papers
  8. Web site: 2016 Election Center. CNN. 2016-10-18.