Latest election by the numbers: Who won and when did we know?

On November 6, 2024By Littum

Previous elections are in no way a predictor of how things will go this time. But they can offer useful context about how races played out in the past. Here’s a quick refresher:

2020

Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris defeated Republicans Donald Trump and Mike Pence – 306 to 232 electoral votes; 51.3% to 46.8% of the popular vote.

Biden was projected as the winner at 11:26 a.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 7, four days after Election Day. It took longer to count votes due to changes in the voting process due to COVID-19.

2016

The Trump-Pence ticket defeated Democrats Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine by the same electoral margin, 306 to 232. While Republicans won 45.9% of the popular vote, Clinton won 48%.

Trump was projected as the winner at 2:29 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 9, the morning after Election Day.

2012

Democrats Barack Obama and Biden won re-election with 332 electoral votes, topping Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan’s 206. That’s 51% of the popular vote compared to 47.2%.

Obama was predicted to win before election day ended, at 11:38 PM ET on November 6th.

2008

Obama and Biden defeated John McCain and Sarah Palin, winning 365 electoral votes or 52.9% of the popular vote. The McCain campaign won 173 electoral votes and 45.6% of the popular vote.

Obama was projected as the winner around 11 p.m. on election day, and McCain admitted at 23.18 ET.

2004

Republicans George W. Bush and Dick Cheney won re-election with 286 electoral votes or 50.7% of the popular vote. The John Kerry-John Edwards ticket won 251 electoral votes and 48.2% of the popular vote.

Kerry
called Bush to admit around 11 ET the morning after Election Day.

2000

Bush and Cheney narrowly won the election with 271 electoral votes to the 266 won by Al Gore and Joe Lieberman. But the Democrats won the popular vote, 48.4% to 47.9%.

The outcome of the race was unknown for several weeks due to
legal disputes above the close number in Florida. The US Supreme Court ended the recount on December 12, and Gore conceded to Bush the following day – 36 days after Election Day.