In 2000, George W. Bush (Republican) won 271 of 538 electoral votes, defeating Al Gore by 5 EV during the Modern Polarization era. In 2016, Donald Trump (Republican) won 304 of 538, defeating Hillary Clinton by 77 EV during the Modern Polarization era. Turnout: 54.2% vs 60.1%.
vs
2000
Modern Polarization
George W. Bush
Republican
Electoral votes
271 of 538
EV margin
5
Popular vote
47.9%
Turnout
54.2%
Runner-up
Al Gore (Dem)
One of the closest and most disputed elections in US history. After 36 days of recounts in Florida, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Bush v. Gore to halt the recount, awarding Florida and the presidency to Bush. Gore won the national popular vote by over 543,000 but lost the Electoral College 271-266. Ralph Nader's Green Party candidacy won 97,421 votes in Florida — far more than Bush's final margin of 537 — making Nader a controversial spoiler. One Gore elector from DC abstained in protest.
2016
Modern Polarization
Donald Trump
Republican
Electoral votes
304 of 538
EV margin
77
Popular vote
46.1%
Turnout
60.1%
Runner-up
Hillary Clinton (Dem)
Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in one of the most shocking upsets in American political history, winning the Electoral College while losing the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes. Trump flipped the 'Blue Wall' of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania — states Democrats had won for decades — by narrow margins on a wave of white working-class resentment. FBI Director Comey's late October letter about Clinton's emails, and Russian social media interference, were widely seen as influential. Seven faithless electors defected, the most since 1872.