The United States presidential election of 2016 was the 58th quadrennial American presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana Governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Senator from Virginia Tim Kaine. Trump took office as the 45th President, and Pence as the 48th Vice President, on January 20, 2017. Concurrent with the presidential election, Senate, House, and many gubernatorial and state and local elections were also held on November 8.

Voters selected members of the Electoral College in each state, in most cases by "winner-takes-all" plurality; those state electors in turn voted for a new president and vice president on December 19, 2016. While Clinton received about 2.9 million more votes nationwide, a margin of 2.1%, or 48% of the total cast, Trump won with 56% of electors in the Electoral College, winning 30 states with 306 pledged electors out of 538. He won the perennial swing states of Florida, Iowa and Ohio, as well as Clinton's "blue wall" states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which had been Democratic strongholds in presidential elections since the 1990s. Leading up to the election, a Trump victory was projected unlikely by most media forecasts.

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A supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stands in line to vote in New York City, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Voters stand in a long line outside a polling station in New York City on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) A supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is asked to leave before the arrival of Donald Trump at PS-59, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
A woman takes a photo of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as he arrives at PS-59 to cast his ballot on Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) A man wears a "I voted" sticker on his jacket after casting his vote at a polling site in New York City, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) A voter dressed as Uncle Sam waits in line to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
A youngster stands on the sidewalk outside at a polling site in New York City as lines to vote were held up while Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump voted inside on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) People take photos of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as he leaves PS-59 after voting, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives with the Secret Service to cast his ballot at PS-59 in New York City on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
People take photos of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as he leaves PS-59 after voting, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) A man hands out flyers for a candidate outside a polling station in New York City on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Voters stand in a long line outside a polling station in New York City on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
Behind the Scenes at the Yahoo News Studios on election night on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Donald Trump cupcakes at the Yahoo News Studios on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) The children of Yahoo staff members and their guests pose for a photo at the Yahoo News Studios on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
Hillary Clinton cupcakes at the Yahoo News Studios on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Yahoo News columnist Matt Bai at the Yahoo News Studios on election night on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) The Yahoo News Studios on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
Behind the scenes photo from Katie Couric hosting a panel at the Yahoo News Studios on election night on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton ice cream being served at the Yahoo News Studios on election night, Nov. 6, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) 2016 election night panel at the Yahoo News Studios on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016.(Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
Display showing electoral college map at the Yahoo News Studios on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) A staffer takes a photo of the Yahoo News election panel at the Yahoo News Studios on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) J. D. Vance sits on a panel at the Yahoo News Studios on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
Ann Coulter is interviewed at the Yahoo News Studios by Yahoo News Chief Investigative Correspondent Michael Isikoff on elections night, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Behind the scenes photo of Jon Ward at the Yahoo News Studios on election night on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Republican political consultant and strategist Katie Packer joins a panel hosted by Katie Couric at the Yahoo News Studios on election night on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
American journalist and author Evan Thomas sits in on a panel at the Yahoo News Studios on election night on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Behind the scenes photo of Jon Ward at the Yahoo News Studios on election night on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News) Supporters of Donald Trump hold up signs as they make their way through Times Square in New York City on Nov. 9, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)
Yahoo News columnist Olivier Knox reports at the Yahoo News Studios on election night on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Photos taken November 8, 2016 using a Canon EOS-1D X DSLR and EOS-1D Mark IV DSLR with a EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Standard Zoom Lens, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom lens.