Putcha, Rackaway, Rutledge, Sloboda

  (2020) No 8, Issue 1   

 

An Analysis of the Results from the 2016 US Presidential Election

Chandra PUTCHA  ǀ  Chapman RACKAWAY  ǀ  Paul RUTLEDGE  ǀ  Brian W. SLOBODA

Pages: 5-30

 

Abstract

This paper presents a model for state-level presidential outcomes for the popular vote and the Electoral College votes for the 2016 Presidential election in the United States of America. The input for the statistical model in this paper used a variety of polls from each state to estimate the winner of each state by the popular vote and the Electoral College votes. The first part of the paper presents an overview of a variety of models used to predict outcomes in past Presidential elections as well as the 2016 election. The final results of the 2016 election revealed that the polls were not accurate. But is that true? We carefully investigate those polls and compare our results to other results. Then, the final part of the paper explores the plausible reasons for the unexpected results and how these results may translate into the results of future Presidential elections.

Keywords

Presidential elections, state polls, behavioural differences in voters

 

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