2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries

{{Short description|Selection of the Democratic Party nominee}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox election | election_name = 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries | country = United States | type = primary | ongoing = no | previous_election = 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries | previous_year = 2012 | next_election = 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries | next_year = 2020 | election_date = February 1 to June 14, 2016 | votes_for_election = 4,763 delegate votes to the [[2016 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] | needed_votes = 2,382 delegate | party_name = no <!-- Before entering any candidates' results, please consult the color table on the '''talk page''' prior to making any entries and keys -->| image1 = File:Hillary Clinton by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg | candidate1 = '''[[Hillary Clinton]]''' | color1 = d4aa00 | home_state1 = [[New York (state)|New York]] | states_carried1 = '''34''' | delegate_count1 = '''2,842''' | popular_vote1 = '''16,917,853'''{{efn|name=popularvote|Does not include popular vote totals from Iowa, Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, Washington, Wyoming, or non-binding primaries}}<ref name=tgp-estimate>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/D |title=Democratic Convention |work=The Green Papers |first=Richard E. |last=Berg-Andersson |access-date=June 13, 2016}}</ref> | percentage1 = '''55.2%'''{{efn|name=popularvote}} | image2 = File:Bernie Sanders September 2015 cropped.jpg | image_size = 160x160px | candidate2 = [[Bernie Sanders]] | color2 = 228b22 | home_state2 = [[Vermont]] | states_carried2 = 23 | delegate_count2 = 1,865 | popular_vote2 = 13,210,550{{efn|name=popularvote}}<ref name=tgp-estimate /> | percentage2 = 43.1%{{efn|name=popularvote}} <!-- % of overall total per The Green Papers --> | map_image = {{switcher | {{2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries imagemap}} | First place by initial pledged delegate allocation | [[File:Democratic convention 2016 roll call map.svg|350px]] | First place by convention roll call | default=1 }} | map_size = 350px | map_caption = '''First place by initial pledged delegate allocation'''

{{Col-begin}} {{Col-2}} {{legend|#D4AA00|Hillary Clinton|border=1}} {{legend|#228B22|Bernie Sanders|border=1}} {{align|center|'''First place by convention roll call'''}}

{{Col-begin}} {{Col-2}} {{legend|#D4AA00|Hillary Clinton|border=1}} {{legend|#228B22|Bernie Sanders|border=1}} {{legend|#6E6E6E|Tie|border=1}} {{Col-end}} {{Col-end}} | map2_image = | map2_size = 350px | map2_caption = | title = Democratic nominee | before_election = [[Barack Obama]] | after_election = [[Hillary Clinton]] }} [[Presidential primaries]] and caucuses were organized by the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] to select the 4,051 delegates to the [[2016 Democratic National Convention]] held July 25–28 and determine the nominee for [[President of the United States|President]] in the [[2016 United States presidential election]]. The elections took place within all fifty [[U.S. state]]s, the [[District of Columbia]], five [[U.S. territories]], and [[Democrats Abroad]] and occurred between February 1 and June 14, 2016. This was the first time the Democratic primary had nominated a woman for president. {{US 2016 presidential elections series}}

Six major candidates entered the race starting April 12, 2015, when former [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] and [[New York (state)|New York]] [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Hillary Clinton]] formally announced her second bid for the presidency. She was followed by [[Vermont]] [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Bernie Sanders]], former [[Governor of Maryland]] [[Martin O'Malley]], former [[Governor of Rhode Island]] [[Lincoln Chafee]], former [[Virginia]] Senator [[Jim Webb]] and [[Harvard Law School|Harvard Law]] Professor [[Lawrence Lessig]]. A draft movement was started to encourage [[Massachusetts]] Senator [[Elizabeth Warren]] to seek the presidency. Warren declined to run, as did incumbent Vice President [[Joe Biden]]. Webb, Chafee, and Lessig withdrew prior to the February 1, 2016, [[2016 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses|Iowa caucuses]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/123116/americans-love-underdog-just-not-chafee-webb-or-omalley|title=Americans Love an Underdog—Just Not Lincoln Chafee, Jim Webb, or Martin O'Malley|last=Reston|first=Laura|date=2015-10-14|magazine=New Republic|access-date=2016-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/lawrence-lessig-drops-out-215443 |title=Lessig drops out of presidential race|work=Politico|date=November 2, 2015|access-date=November 2, 2015|author=Strauss, Daniel}}</ref>

Clinton won Iowa by the closest margin in the history of the state's Democratic [[Iowa caucuses|caucus]] to date. O'Malley suspended{{efn |name=suspend | In US elections, suspending a campaign allows candidates to cease active campaigning while still legally raising funds to pay off their debts.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-WB-61082 |title=Why Candidates 'Suspend' Losing Campaigns Rather Than Say 'I Quit' |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |first=Rebecca |last=Ballhaus |date=February 11, 2016}}</ref>}} his campaign after a distant third-place finish, leaving Clinton and Sanders as the only two candidates. The race turned out to be more competitive than expected, with Sanders decisively winning [[2016 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary|New Hampshire]], while Clinton subsequently won [[2016 Nevada Democratic presidential caucuses|Nevada]] and won a landslide victory in [[2016 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary|South Carolina]]. Clinton then secured numerous important wins in each of the nine most populous states including [[2016 California Democratic presidential primary|California]], [[2016 New York Democratic presidential primary|New York]], [[2016 Florida Democratic presidential primary|Florida]], and [[2016 Texas Democratic presidential primary|Texas]], while Sanders scored various victories in between. He then laid off a majority of staff after the New York primary and Clinton's multi-state sweep on April 26.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/sanders-lay-staff-after-tuesday-primary-losses-n563776|title=Sanders Lays Off Staff After Tuesday Primary Losses|work=NBC News|access-date=April 29, 2016}}</ref> On June 6, the [[Associated Press]] and [[NBC News]] stated that Clinton had become the [[presumptive nominee]] after reaching the required number of delegates, including both pledged and [[List of superdelegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention|unpledged delegates]] ([[superdelegates]]), to secure the nomination. In doing so, she became the [[List of American women's firsts|first woman to ever be the presumptive nominee]] of any major political party in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/clinton-hits-magic-number-delegates-clinch-nomination/ |title=Clinton hits 'magic number' of delegates to clinch nomination |work=[[NBC News]] |first=Carrie |last=Dann |date=June 6, 2016 |access-date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> On June 7, Clinton secured a majority of pledged delegates after winning in the California and New Jersey primaries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/clinton-delegates-pledged-224044 |title=Hillary Clinton secures majority of pledged delegate |date=June 8, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2016 |publisher=Politico}}</ref> President [[Barack Obama]], Vice President [[Joe Biden]] and Senator [[Elizabeth Warren]] endorsed Clinton on June 9.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/09/politics/president-barack-obama-endorses-hillary-clinton-in-video/index.html |title=Obama endorses Hillary Clinton in video|author=Eric Bradner|work=CNN|date=June 9, 2016|access-date=June 10, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Bixby|first1=Scott|title=Hillary Clinton gets endorsements from Obama, Biden and Elizabeth Warren – as it happened|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/jun/09/presidential-campaign-bernie-sanders-meet-obama-white-house-clinton-trump |access-date=June 15, 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|date=June 9, 2016}}</ref> Sanders confirmed on June 24 that he would vote for Clinton over [[Donald Trump]] in the general election<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-24/bernie-sanders-says-he-will-vote-for-hillary-clinton/7542864|title=US Election: Bernie Sanders says he will vote for Hillary Clinton|date=24 June 2016|website=ABC News|publisher=Reuters|access-date=24 June 2016}}</ref> and endorsed Clinton on July 12 in [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/07/11/485533468/sanders-and-clinton-to-rally-together-in-new-hampshire|title=Sanders And Clinton To Rally Together In New Hampshire|work=npr.org|access-date=July 12, 2016 |last=Keith |first=Tamara |date=11 July 2016 }}</ref>

On July 22, [[WikiLeaks]] published the [[2016 Democratic National Committee email leak|Democratic National Committee email leak]], in which DNC operatives seemed to deride Bernie Sanders' campaign<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/23/us/politics/dnc-emails-sanders-clinton.html|title=Released Emails Suggest the D.N.C. Derided the Sanders Campaign|access-date=2018-11-06|language=en}}</ref> and discuss ways to advance Clinton's nomination,<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/07/24/here-are-the-latest-most-damaging-things-in-the-dncs-leaked-emails/|title=Here are the latest, most damaging things in the DNC's leaked emails|last=Blake|first=Aaron|date=July 25, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=November 6, 2018}}</ref> leading to the resignation of DNC chair [[Debbie Wasserman Schultz]] and other implicated officials. The leak was [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|allegedly]] part of an operation by the [[Government of Russia|Russian government]] to undermine Hillary Clinton.<ref name=":4">{{citation|author=Adam Entous, Ellen Nakashima and Greg Miller|title=Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House|date=9 December 2016|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-orders-review-of-russian-hacking-during-presidential-campaign/2016/12/09/31d6b300-be2a-11e6-94ac-3d324840106c_story.html|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=10 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{citation|author=Shane Harris, Ellen Nakashima and Craig Timberg|title=Through email leaks and propaganda, Russians sought to elect Trump, Mueller finds|date=18 April 2019|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/through-email-leaks-and-propaganda-russians-sought-to-elect-trump-mueller-finds/2019/04/18/109ddf74-571b-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e_story.html|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=2 June 2019}}</ref> Although the ensuing controversy initially focused on emails that dated from relatively late in the primary, when Clinton was already close to securing the nomination,<ref name=":3"/> the emails cast doubt on the DNC's neutrality and, according to Sanders operatives and multiple media commentators, showed that the DNC had favored Clinton since early on.<ref name=":52">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41850798|title=Elizabeth Warren agrees Democratic race 'rigged' for Clinton|date=November 3, 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/24/politics/dnc-email-leak-wikileaks/index.html|title=What was in the DNC email leak?|last=Schleifer|first=Theodore|date=July 25, 2016|work=CNN|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4420912/bernie-sanders-dnc-wikileaks-debbie-wasserman-schultz/|title=Bernie Sanders Calls for Debbie Wasserman Schultz to Resign After Email Leak|last=Chan|first=Melissa|date=July 24, 2016|magazine=Time|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/24/clinton-campaign-blames-russia-wikileaks-sanders-dnc-emails|title=Hillary Clinton campaign blames leaked DNC emails about Sanders on Russia|last=Yuhas|first=Alan|date=July 24, 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/bitterness-and-frustration-among-dems-over-email-leak-1.5414930|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202070532/https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/bitterness-and-frustration-among-dems-over-email-leak-1.5414930|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 2, 2018|title=Sanders Calls for DNC Chair's Resignation as Hacked Emails Overshadow Convention|last=Flaherty|first=Anne|date=July 24, 2016|work=Haaretz|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> This was evidenced by alleged bias in the scheduling and conduct of the debates,{{efn|name=debates|As far back as 2015, the sharp reduction of the [[2016 Democratic Party presidential debates and forums|debate schedule]], as well as the days and times, had been criticized by multiple rivals as biased in Clinton's favor.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/06/democrats-debate-schedule-hillary-clinton|title=Democratic primary debate schedule criticized as Clinton 'coronation'|date=6 August 2015|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> The DNC denied bias, claiming to be cracking down on the non-sanctioned debates that proliferated in recent cycles, while leaving the number of officially sanctioned debates the same as in 2004 and 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2015/8/6/9110605/democrats-debate-schedule|publisher=Vox|author=Andrew Prokop|title=The Democrats just released their debate schedule, and it's great news for Hillary Clinton|date=August 6, 2015|access-date=June 2, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/is-six-democratic-debates-too-few/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004011844/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/is-six-democratic-debates-too-few/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 4, 2017|title=Is Six Democratic Debates Too Few?|work=FiveThirtyEight|author=Harry Enten|date=2016-05-06|access-date=2017-09-07}}</ref> [[Donna Brazile]], who succeeded Debbie Wasserman Schultz as DNC chair after the first batch of leaks,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/wasserman-schultz-wont-preside-over-dnc-convention-226088|title=Wasserman Schultz steps down as DNC chair|last=Caputo|first=Marc|date=July 24, 2016|work=Politico|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> was shown in the emails leaking primary debate questions to the Clinton campaign before the debates were held, although a senior aide to Sanders came to Brazile's defense and tried to downplay the issue.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-former-senior-aide-to-bernie-sanders-1476297181-htmlstory.html/|title=www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-former-senior-aide-to-bernie-sanders-1476297181-htmlstory.html|date=12 October 2016|publisher=A Times}}</ref>}} as well as controversial DNC–Clinton agreements regarding financial arrangements and control over policy and hiring decisions.{{efn|name=agreements|Brazile went on to write a book about the primary and what she called "unethical" behavior in which the DNC (after its debt from 2012 was resolved by the Clinton campaign) gave the Clinton campaign control over hirings and press releases, and allegedly helped it circumvent campaign finance regulation.<ref name=":02">{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/02/clinton-brazile-hacks-2016-215774/|title=Inside Hillary Clinton's Secret Takeover of the DNC|last=Brazile|first=Donna|date=November 2, 2017|publisher=Politico|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref> Several Democratic leaders responded that the joint-fundraising agreement was standard, was for the purpose of the general election, and was also offered to the Sanders campaign. However, another agreement that came to light gave the Clinton campaign powers over the DNC well before the primary was decided. Some media commentators noted that the Clinton campaign's level of influence on staffing decisions was indeed unusual and could have ultimately influenced factors such as the debate schedule.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/2/16599036/donna-brazile-hillary-clinton-sanders|title=Donna Brazile's bombshell about the DNC and Hillary Clinton, explained|last=Stein|first=Jeff|date=November 2, 2017|work=Vox|access-date=June 10, 2019}}</ref><ref name="WaPo" />}} Other media commentators have disputed the significance of the emails, arguing that the DNC's internal preference for Clinton was not historically unusual and did not affect the primary enough to sway the outcome, as Clinton received over 3 million more popular votes and 359 more pledged delegates than Sanders.<ref name="WaPo">Heersink, Boris (November 4, 2017). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/11/04/no-the-dnc-didnt-rig-the-democratic-primary-for-hillary-clinton/ "No, the DNC didn't 'rig' the Democratic primary for Hillary Clinton"]. ''[[The Washington Post]]''. Retrieved March 8, 2018.</ref><ref>Houle, Dana (July 25, 2016). [https://newrepublic.com/article/135472/no-dnc-didnt-rig-primary-favor-hillary "No, the DNC Didn't Rig the Primary in Favor of Hillary"]. ''[[The New Republic]]''. Retrieved March 8, 2018.</ref><ref>Holland, Joshua (July 29, 2016). [https://www.thenation.com/article/what-the-leaked-e-mails-do-and-dont-tell-us-about-the-dnc-and-bernie-sanders/ "What the Leaked E-mails Do and Don't Tell Us About the DNC and Bernie Sanders"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205101725/https://www.thenation.com/article/what-the-leaked-e-mails-do-and-dont-tell-us-about-the-dnc-and-bernie-sanders/ |date=December 5, 2019 }}. ''[[The Nation]]''. Retrieved March 8, 2018.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Gaughan |first=Anthony J. |date=August 27, 2019 |url=https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3443916 |title=Was the Democratic Nomination Rigged? A Reexamination of the Clinton-Sanders Presidential Race |journal=University of Florida Journal of Law & Public Policy |issue=29 |ssrn=3443916 |quote="This article [...] contends that the overwhelming weight of evidence makes clear the 2016 Democratic nomination process was not rigged in favor of Hillary Clinton. Second, this article argues that the Democratic Party rules and state election laws actually hurt Clinton and benefited Sanders." |access-date=October 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wolf |first=Z. Byron |date=2017-11-04 |title=Could Bernie Sanders have won a primary that wasn't 'rigged'? Um. {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/04/politics/bernie-sanders-2016-election-donna-brazile/index.html |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> The controversies ultimately led to the formation of a DNC "unity" commission to recommend reforms in the party's primary process.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/09/dnc-superdelegates-unity-commission-288634|title=DNC 'unity' panel recommends huge cut in superdelegates|last=Robillard|first=Kevin|publisher=Politico|date=December 9, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/democrats-vs-trump/democrats-strip-super-delegates-power-reform-caucuses-historic-move-n903866|title=Democrats strip superdelegates of power and reform caucuses in 'historic' move|last=Seitz-Wald|first=Alex|work=NBC News|date=August 25, 2018|access-date=June 2, 2019}}</ref>

On July 26, 2016, the [[2016 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] officially nominated Clinton for president<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/dnc-kicks-off-roll-call-vote-to-nominate-clinton-226239 |title=Hillary Clinton breaks the glass ceiling|work=Politico|access-date=September 24, 2016}}</ref> and a day later, Virginia Senator [[Tim Kaine]] for vice president.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tim-kaine-to-get-an-introduction-and-an-audition-1469662909 |title=Tim Kaine Accepts Vice-Presidential Nomination at Democratic National Convention |first=Janet |last=Hook |date=July 27, 2016 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref> Clinton and Kaine went on to lose to the Republican ticket of [[Donald Trump]] and [[Mike Pence]] in the general election.

==Candidates== {{Hillary Clinton series}}

{{Main|2016 Democratic Party presidential candidates}}

===Nominee=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+Democratic nominee for the 2016 presidential election |- ! colspan="2" | Candidate ! Born ! Most recent position ! Home state ! Campaign<br> {{small|Announcement date}} ! Total pledged delegates ! Popular vote ! Contests won{{efn|name=pledged|According to popular vote or pledged delegate count (not counting superdelegates); see below for detail.}} ! Running mate ! Ref. |- style="background:linen;" | style="min-width:80px;" | {{hs|Clinton}}[[File:Hillary Clinton by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|149x149px]]<br /><big>'''[[Hillary Clinton]]'''</big> | style="background:#D4AA00;" | | {{nowrap|{{dts|1947|10|26}}}} <br /> (age {{age|1947|10|26|2016|7|26}}) <!-- display age when she was officially nominated at the Democratic National Convention --> <br /> [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] | [[United States Secretary of State|U.S. Secretary of State]]<br />(2009–2013) | {{flag|New York}} | {{Hs|2015-04-12}}[[File:Hillary for America 2016 logo.svg|frameless|150x150px]]<br />[[Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]]<hr />{{small|'''{{dts|2015|4|12}}'''}}<br>[http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/524/15031411524/15031411524.pdf FEC filing]<br>'''Secured nomination:<br />June 6, 2016''' | style="font-size:90%; padding:10px;" | '''2205 / 4051''' ({{percentage|2205|4051|0}}) | <!-- Popular vote --> '''16,917,853''' | <!-- Contests won --> '''34''' <br />{{nobr|[[2016 Alabama Democratic presidential primary|AL]], [[2016 Arkansas Democratic presidential primary|AR]], [[2016 American Samoa Democratic caucus|AS]], [[2016 Arizona Democratic presidential primary|AZ]], [[2016 California Democratic presidential primary|CA]],}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Connecticut Democratic presidential primary|CT]], [[2016 District of Columbia Democratic presidential primary|DC]], [[2016 Delaware Democratic presidential primary|DE]], [[2016 Florida Democratic presidential primary|FL]], [[2016 Georgia Democratic presidential primary|GA]],}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Guam Democratic presidential caucuses|GU]], [[2016 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses|IA]], [[2016 Illinois Democratic presidential primary|IL]], [[2016 Kentucky Democratic presidential primary|KY]], [[2016 Louisiana Democratic presidential primary|LA]],}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Massachusetts Democratic presidential primary|MA]], [[2016 Maryland Democratic presidential primary|MD]], [[2016 Missouri Democratic presidential primary|MO]], [[2016 United States presidential election in the Northern Mariana Islands#Democratic caucus|MP]], [[2016 Mississippi Democratic presidential primary|MS]],}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 North Carolina Democratic presidential primary|NC]], [[2016 New Jersey Democratic presidential primary|NJ]], [[2016 New Mexico Democratic presidential primary|NM]], [[2016 Nevada Democratic presidential caucuses|NV]], [[2016 New York Democratic presidential primary|NY]],}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Ohio Democratic presidential primary|OH]], [[2016 Pennsylvania Democratic presidential primary|PA]], [[2016 Puerto Rico Democratic presidential primary|PR]], [[2016 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary|SC]], [[2016 South Dakota Democratic presidential primary|SD]],{{efn|name=split|Pledged delegates split evenly between Sanders and Clinton.}}}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Tennessee Democratic presidential primary|TN]], [[2016 Texas Democratic presidential primary|TX]], [[2016 Virginia Democratic presidential primary|VA]], [[2016 United States Virgin Islands Democratic caucuses|VI]]}} | [[File:Tim Kaine, official 113th Congress photo portrait (cropped 3x4).jpg|alt=|frameless|125x125px]] <big>[[Tim Kaine]]</big> | <ref>{{cite web |last=Karni |first=Annie |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/hillary-clinton-2016-election-presidential-launch-116888 |title=Hillary Clinton formally announces 2016 run |publisher=Politico |date=April 12, 2015}}</ref> |}

===Withdrew at the convention=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+Major candidates who withdrew at the 2016 Democratic National Convention |- ! colspan="2" style="width:150px;" | Candidate ! Born ! Most recent position ! Home state ! Campaign announced ! Lost Nomination ! Campaign ! Total pledged delegates ! Popular vote ! Contests won{{efn|name=pledged|According to popular vote or pledged delegate count (not counting superdelegates); see below for detail.}} ! Ref. |- ! [[File:Bernie Sanders September 2015 cropped.jpg|130x130px]] <br />[[Bernie Sanders]] | style="background:#228B22;" | | {{nowrap|{{dts|1941|9|8}}}} <br /> (age {{age|1941|9|8|2016|7|26}}) <!-- display age when he lost the nomination at the Democratic National COnvention --> <br /> [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]] | [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] from [[List of United States senators from Vermont|Vermont]]<br />(2007–present) | {{flag|Vermont}} | April 30, 2015 | July 26, 2016<br /><small>''(endorsed Clinton)''</small><ref>{{cite web |last=Chozick |first=Amy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/13/us/politics/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton.html |title=Bernie Sanders Endorses Hillary Clinton, Hoping to Unify Democrats |work=The New York Times |date=July 12, 2016}}</ref> | [[File:Bernie Sanders 2016 logo.svg|120px]]<br /><small>([[Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]] • [[Political positions of Bernie Sanders|Positions]])</small><small><br />[http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/533/15031422533/15031422533.pdf FEC filing]</small> | style="font-size:90%; padding:10px;" | 1846 / 4051 ({{percentage|1846|4051|0}}) | <!-- Popular vote --> 13,210,550 | <!-- Contests won --> '''23'''<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Alaska Democratic presidential caucuses|AK]], [[2016 Colorado Democratic presidential caucuses|CO]], [[2016 Democrats Abroad presidential primary|DA]], [[2016 Hawaii Democratic presidential caucuses|HI]],}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Idaho Democratic presidential caucuses|ID]], [[2016 Indiana Democratic presidential primary|IN]], [[2016 Kansas Democratic presidential caucuses|KS]], [[2016 Maine Democratic presidential caucuses|ME]],}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Michigan Democratic presidential primary|MI]], [[2016 Minnesota Democratic presidential caucuses|MN]], [[2016 Montana Democratic presidential primary|MT]], [[2016 Nebraska Democratic presidential caucuses|NE]],{{efn|Hillary Clinton won the non-binding Nebraska Democratic Primary.}}}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary|NH]], [[2016 North Dakota Democratic presidential caucuses|ND]], [[2016 Oklahoma Democratic presidential primary|OK]], [[2016 Oregon Democratic presidential primary|OR]], }}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Rhode Island Democratic presidential primary|RI]], [[2016 Utah Democratic presidential caucuses|UT]], [[2016 Vermont Democratic presidential primary|VT]], [[2016 Washington Democratic presidential caucuses|WA]],{{efn|Hillary Clinton won the non-binding Washington Democratic Primary.}}}}<br />{{nobr|[[2016 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary|WI]], [[2016 West Virginia Democratic presidential primary|WV]], [[2016 Wyoming Democratic presidential caucuses|WY]]{{efn|name=split}} }} |<ref>{{cite web |last=Mercia |first=Dan |url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/04/29/politics/bernie-sanders-announces-presidential-run/index.html |title=Bernie Sanders is running for president |publisher=CNN |date=April 30, 2015}}</ref> |} {{Bernie Sanders series}} {{-}}

===Withdrew during the primaries=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+Major candidates who withdrew during the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries |- ! colspan="2" style="width:150px;" | Candidate ! Born ! {{nowrap|Most recent}} position ! Home state ! Campaign announced ! Campaign suspended ! Campaign ! Ref |- ! data-sort-value="O'Malley" | [[File:Governor O'Malley Portrait (cropped).jpg|130x130px]]<br />[[Martin O'Malley]] | style="background:#224192;" | | {{nowrap|{{dts|1963|1|18}}}}<br />(age {{age|1963|1|18|2016|2|1}}) <!-- display age at end of campaign --> <br /> [[Washington, D.C.]] | [[Governor of Maryland]]<br />(2007–2015) | {{flag|Maryland}} | May 31, 2015 | February 1, 2016<br /><small>''(endorsed Clinton)''</small><ref>{{cite tweet |user=MartinOMalley |number=740983189414547456 |date=Jun 9, 2016 |title=For the future of the country, I am committing my energies to the election of Secretary Clinton as the next President. #ImWithher}}</ref> | [[File:O'Malley2016Logo.png|120px]]<br /><small>([[Martin O'Malley 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]] • [https://martinomalley.com/ Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126012752/https://martinomalley.com/ |date=January 26, 2016 }})</small><small><br />[http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/604/15031430604/15031430604.pdf FEC filing]</small> | <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/05/30/martin-omalley-president-announcement/27330857/| title=Martin O'Malley jumps into presidential race| work=[[USA Today]] | date=May 30, 2015 | access-date=May 30, 2015|author1= Jackson, David |author2=Cooper, Allen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/martin-omalley-suspends-his-campaign-218587| title=Martin O'Malley suspends bid for the Democratic nomination| work=Politico| date=February 1, 2016 | access-date=February 1, 2015|author=Debenedetti, Gabriel}}</ref> |}

===Withdrew before the primaries=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+Major candidates who withdrew before the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries |- ! colspan="2" style="width:150px;" | Candidate ! Born ! {{nowrap|Most recent}} position ! Home state ! Campaign announced ! Campaign suspended ! Campaign ! class = "unsortable" | Ref |- ! [[File:RI governor Lincoln Chafee in 2007 (cropped).jpg|130x130px]]<br />[[Lincoln Chafee]] | style="background:#9370db;" | | {{dts|1953|3|26}} (age {{age|1953|3|26|2015|10|23}}) <!-- display age at end of campaign --> <br /> [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], [[Rhode Island]] | [[List of Governors of Rhode Island|Governor of Rhode Island]]<br />(2011–2015) | {{flag|Rhode Island}} | June 3, 2015 | October 23, 2015<br /><small>''(endorsed Clinton)''<ref>{{cite tweet |user=merica |number=760882620322357248 |date=Aug 3, 2016 |title=Lincoln Chafee, who briefly ran against HRC, will "enthusiastically support" Hillary Clinton now that she is the nominee, per Chafee's spox.}}</ref></small> | [[File:Chafee for President.png|90px]] <br /><small>([[Lincoln Chafee 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]] • [http://www.chafee2016.com/ Website])</small><br /><small>[http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/737/15951475737/15951475737.pdf FEC filing]</small> | <ref>{{cite web |author=Foley, Elise |date=May 29, 2015 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/lincoln-chafee-2016-presidential-run-118415.html?hp=l2_4 |title=Lincoln Chafee to announce presidential run on June 3|work=Politico|access-date=October 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Lincoln Chafee drops out of Democratic primary race |first1=Dan|last1=Merica|first2=Tom|last2=LoBianco|publisher=CNN|date=October 23, 2015|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/23/politics/lincoln-chafee-2016-election-dnc-meeting/index.html }}</ref> |- ! [[File:Jim Webb official 110th Congress photo (cropped).jpg|130x130px]]<br />[[Jim Webb]] | style="background:#d2691e;" | | {{dts|1946|2|9}} (age {{age|1946|2|9|2015|10|20}}) <!-- display age at end of campaign --> <br /> [[Saint Joseph, Missouri|Saint Joseph]], [[Missouri]] | [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] from [[Virginia]]<br />(2007–2013) |{{flag|Virginia}} | July 7, 2015 | October 20, 2015 | [[File:Webb 2016.png|90px]] <br /><small>([[Jim Webb 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]] • [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422070531/https://www.webb2016.com/ Website])</small><br /><small>[http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/062/201507149000111062/201507149000111062.pdf FEC filing]</small><br /><small>[http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/994/201510309003259994/201510309003259994.pdf Amended FEC filing (party changed to Independent)]</small> | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/run-2016/2015/07/02/jim-webb-announces-for-president|title=Jim Webb Announces For President|work=U.S. News & World Report|date=July 2, 2015|access-date=July 2, 2015|author=Catanese, David|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703113357/http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/run-2016/2015/07/02/jim-webb-announces-for-president|archive-date=July 3, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/webb-drops-democratic-presidential-bid-weighs-possible-independent-run/|title=Webb drops Democratic presidential bid, weighs possible independent run|publisher=Fox News|date=October 20, 2015|access-date=January 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116061406/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/10/20/webb-to-drop-out-democratic-2016-race/|archive-date=November 16, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> |- ! [[File:Lessig (cropped) 2.png|130x130px]]<br />[[Lawrence Lessig]] | style="background:#b61b28;" | | {{dts|1961|6|3}} (age {{age|1961|6|3|2015|11|2}}) <br /> [[Rapid City, South Dakota|Rapid City]], [[South Dakota]] | Professor at [[Harvard Law School]]<br />(2009–2016) |{{flag|Massachusetts}} | {{nowrap|September 9, 2015}} | {{nowrap|November 2, 2015}} | [[File:Lessig 2016.png|90px]] <br /><small>([[Lawrence Lessig 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]] • [https://web.archive.org/web/20150910091331/https://lessig2016.us/ Website])</small><br /><small>[http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/859/201508119000812859/201508119000812859.pdf FEC filing]</small> | <ref>{{cite web|title=Campaign Press Release: Larry Lessig Hits $1 Million Fundraising Benchmark, Plans to Announce His Campaign for President at Historic New Hampshire Site|url=https://lessig2016.us/media/2015-09-08-nh-campaign-launch/|website=Lessig2016.us|access-date=September 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002121639/https://lessig2016.us/media/2015-09-08-nh-campaign-launch/|archive-date=October 2, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/lawrence-lessig-drops-out-215443 | title=Lessig drops out of presidential race | work=Politico | date= November 2, 2015 | access-date=November 2, 2015 | author=Strauss, Daniel}}</ref> |}

===Other candidates' results===

{{further|2016 Democratic Party presidential candidates}}

The following candidates were frequently interviewed by news channels and were invited to forums and candidate debates. For reference, Clinton received 16,849,779 votes in the primaries.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- | colspan="9" style="width:700px; font-size:120%; color:black; background:#34AAE0;" |''Candidates in this section are sorted by number of votes received'' |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;"| [[Martin O'Malley]] ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;"| [[Lawrence Lessig]] ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;"| [[Jim Webb]] ! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;"| [[Lincoln Chafee]] |- |[[File:Governor O'Malley Portrait.jpg|center|120x120px]] |[[File:Lessig (cropped) 2.png|center|120x120px]] |[[File:Jim Webb official 110th Congress photo (cropped).jpg|center|120x120px]] |[[File:Lincoln Chafee (14103606100 cc56e38ddd h).jpg|center|120x120px]] |- |[[Governor of Maryland]]<br /><small>(2007–2015)</small> |[[Harvard Law School|Harvard law professor]]<br /><small>(2009–2016)</small> |[[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]]<br />from [[Virginia]]<br /><small>(2007–2013)</small> |[[Governor of Rhode Island]]<br /><small>(2011–2015)</small> |- |[[Martin O'Malley 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]] |[[Lawrence Lessig 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]] |[[Jim Webb 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]] |[[Lincoln Chafee 2016 presidential campaign|Campaign]] |- |'''110,423 votes''' |style="text-align:left;"|<small>4 write-in votes in New Hampshire</small> |style="text-align:left;"|<small>2 write-in votes in New Hampshire</small> |<small>none</small> |- |}

Other candidates participated in one or more state primaries without receiving major coverage or substantial vote counts.

==Timeline==

===Background=== [[File:Hillary Clinton April 2015.jpg|thumb|220px|Former Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]], April 2015]]

In the weeks following the re-election of President Obama in the [[2012 United States presidential election|2012 election]], media speculation regarding potential candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2016 presidential election began to circulate. The speculation centered on the prospects of Clinton, then-[[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]], making a second presidential bid in the 2016 election. Clinton had previously served as a [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] for New York (2001–09) and was the [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady of the U.S.]] (1993–2001).<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/12/05/run-hillary-run-majority-want-a-clinton-2016-candidacy/| title=Run Hillary Run!: Majority want a Clinton 2016 candidacy | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=December 5, 2012 | access-date=March 7, 2015 | author=Cohen, Jon}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/10/clinton-rides-high-poll-numbers-into-private-life-for-now/ | title=Clinton rides high poll numbers into private life (for now?) | publisher=CNN | date=December 10, 2012 | access-date=March 7, 2015 | author=Steinhauser, Paul | archive-date=April 21, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421105358/https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/10/clinton-rides-high-poll-numbers-into-private-life-for-now/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> A January 2013 ''[[The Washington Post|Washington Post]]''–[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] poll indicated that she had high popularity among the American public.<ref name="new heights">{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/01/23/record-high-for-hillary-clinton-as-she-faces-little-regarded-congress/| title=Hillary Clinton reaches new heights of political popularity | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=January 23, 2013 | access-date=March 7, 2015 | author1=Cohen, Jon | author2=Blake, Aaron}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Buzz/2012/1210/Are-Republicans-really-incapable-of-beating-Hillary-Clinton-in-2016| title=Are Republicans really 'incapable' of beating Hillary Clinton in 2016? | work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] | date=December 10, 2012 | access-date=March 7, 2015 | author=Marlantes, Liz}}</ref>

This polling information prompted numerous political pundits and observers to anticipate that Clinton would mount a second presidential bid in 2016, entering the race as the early front-runner for the Democratic nomination.<ref name="clearing">{{cite web|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Buzz/2012/1205/New-polls-fuel-speculation-about-Hillary-Clinton-in-2016 |title=New polls fuel speculation about Hillary Clinton in 2016|work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]|date=December 5, 2012|access-date=March 7, 2015|author=Marlantes, Liz}}</ref> From the party's [[Modern liberalism in the United States|liberal]] [[Left-wing politics|left]] wing came calls for a more [[Progressivism in the United States|progressive]] candidate to challenge what was perceived by many within this segment as the party's establishment.<ref name="push">{{cite web | url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/189919-left-wants-challenger-for-hillary/ | title=Left wants challenger for Hillary Clinton | work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] | date=November 12, 2013 | access-date=March 10, 2015 | author=Bolton, Alexander}}</ref> Elizabeth Warren quickly became a highly touted figure within this movement as well as the object of a [[Draft (politics)|draft movement]] to run in the primaries,<ref name="hot ticket">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/30/us/politics/warren-is-now-the-hot-ticket-on-the-far-left.html | title=Populist Left Makes Warren Its Hot Ticket | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=September 29, 2013 | access-date=March 10, 2015 | author=Martin, Jonathan}}</ref> despite her repeated denials of interest in doing so.<ref name="push"/><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/04/elizabeth-warren-president_n_4386457.html | title=Elizabeth Warren: I'm Not Running For President | agency=Associated Press | work=[[The Huffington Post]] | access-date=March 10, 2015 | date=December 4, 2013}}</ref>

The [[MoveOn.org]] campaign 'Run Warren Run' announced that it would disband on June 8, 2015, opting to focus its efforts toward progressive issues.<ref>{{cite web|title=Campaign To Draft Elizabeth Warren For President Comes To A Halt|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/02/elizabeth-warren-run-warren-run_n_7489602.html|work=The Huffington Post|last1=Stein|first1=Sam|date=June 6, 2015|access-date=June 5, 2015}}</ref> The draft campaign's New Hampshire staffer, Kurt Ehrenberg, had joined Sanders' team and most of the remaining staffers were expected to follow suit.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Sanders Eyes Run Warren Run's Network in Iowa|url=https://time.com/3906635/bernie-sanders-elizabeth-warren/|magazine=Time|last1=Frizell|first1=Sam|date=June 3, 2015|access-date=June 5, 2015}}</ref> Given the historical tendency for sitting [[Vice President of the United States|vice presidents]] to seek the presidency in election cycles in which the incumbent president is not a candidate, there was also considerable speculation regarding a potential presidential run by incumbent Vice President [[Joe Biden]],<ref name="history">{{cite web | url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2013/05/07/181338426/joe-biden-has-history-on-his-side-but-little-else-if-hillary-clinton-runs| title=Joe Biden Has History On His Side But Little Else If Hillary Clinton Runs | publisher=[[NPR]] | date=May 7, 2013 | access-date=March 10, 2015 | author-link=Ken Rudin|author=Rudin, Ken}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-hobratsch/when-vice-presidents-run_b_4922047.html| title=When Vice Presidents Run for President | work=[[The Huffington Post]] | date=March 17, 2014 | access-date=March 10, 2015 | author=Hobratsch, Jonathan}}</ref> who had previously campaigned for the Democratic presidential nomination in the election cycles of [[Joe Biden 1988 presidential campaign|1988]] and [[Joe Biden 2008 presidential campaign|2008]].<ref name="biden run">{{cite web | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/01/21/biden-politics-inauguration-2016/1853155/| title=Will Joe Biden run for president in 2016? | work=[[USA Today]] | date=January 22, 2013 | access-date=March 10, 2015 | author=Gaudiano, Nicole}}</ref>

This speculation was further fueled by Biden's own expressions of interest in a possible run in 2016.<ref name="biden run"/><ref name="ponders">{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2013/05/02/445fa480-b278-11e2-9a98-4be1688d7d84_story.html| title=Biden ponders a 2016 bid, but a promotion to the top job seems to be a long shot | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=May 2, 2013 | access-date=March 10, 2015 | author=Rucker, Philip}}</ref> However, on October 21, 2015, speaking from a podium in the [[White House Rose Garden|Rose Garden]] with his wife and President Obama by his side, Biden announced his decision not to enter the race, as he was still dealing with the loss of his son, [[Beau Biden|Beau]], who died months earlier at the age of 47. Biden became the nominee for the Democratic Party four years later in the [[2020 presidential election]] where he became the [[List of presidents of the United States|46th President of the United States]] after defeating incumbent president Donald Trump in the general election.<ref>{{cite web |author=Mason, Jeff |url=http://www.aol.com/article/2015/10/21/biden-announces-hes-not-running-for-president/21252056/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D36905727 |title=Biden says he will not seek 2016 Democratic nomination |publisher=AOL |date=October 21, 2015 |access-date=October 21, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Joe Biden Is Not Running For President In 2016|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/joe-biden-president-2016_55f1cefbe4b093be51be0d69|work=The Huffington Post|last1=Reilly|first1=Molly|date=October 22, 2015|access-date=October 21, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Joe Biden Decides Not to Enter Presidential Race|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/joe-biden-decides-not-to-enter-presidential-race-1445444657|work=The Wall Street Journal|author=Colleen McCain Nelson, Peter Nicholas|date=October 21, 2015|access-date=October 21, 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Bernie Sanders (20033841412 24d8796e44 c0).jpg|thumb|220px|Senator [[Bernie Sanders]] during a rally, July 2015]]

On May 26, 2015, Sanders officially announced his run as a presidential candidate for the Democratic nomination, after an informal announcement on April 30 and speculation since early 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bernie Sanders formally launches run for president with attack on 'grotesque' level of inequality|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/26/bernie-sanders-launches-presidential-campaign|work=The Guardian|last1=Jacobs|first1=Ben|date=May 27, 2015|access-date=June 5, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/30/us/politics/bernie-sanders-campaign-for-president.html|title=Bernie Sanders, Long-Serving Independent, Enters Presidential Race as a Democrat|last1=Rappeport|first1=Alan|date=May 1, 2015|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/09/senator-bernie-sanders-may-run-in-2016.html|title=Senator Bernie Sanders May Run in 2016 – NYMag|last1=Hartmann|first1=Margaret|date=September 14, 2014|work=Daily Intelligencer}}</ref> Sanders had previously served as Mayor of [[Burlington, Vermont]] (1981–89), Vermont's sole U.S. Representative (1991–2007) and Vermont's junior Senator (2007–present).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/magazine/21Sanders.t.html|title=The Socialist Senator|date=January 21, 2007|last1=Leibovich|first1=Mark|work=The New York Times}}</ref> He emerged as the biggest rival to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries, backed by a strong [[grassroots]] campaign and a [[social media]] following.<ref>{{cite news|title=Challenging Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders Gains Momentum in Iowa|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/01/us/politics/challenging-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-gains-momentum-in-iowa.html |work=The New York Times|author=Trip Gabriel, Patrick Healy|date=May 31, 2015|access-date=June 5, 2015}}</ref>

In November 2014, [[Jim Webb]], a former U.S. Senator who had once served as the [[United States Secretary of the Navy|U.S. Secretary of the Navy]] during the [[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Reagan administration]], announced the formation of an [[exploratory committee]] in preparation for a possible run for the Democratic presidential nomination.<ref name="longshot">{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-jim-webb-exploratory-committee-20141120-story.html|title=Long shot Jim Webb launches exploratory committee for presidential bid |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |author=Lee, Kurtis |access-date=November 20, 2014 |date=November 20, 2014}}</ref> This made Webb the first major potential candidate to take a formal action toward seeking the party's 2016 nomination.<ref name="longshot"/>

In June 2015, [[Lincoln Chafee]], former [[Governor of Rhode Island|Governor]] and [[United States Senate|Senator]] of [[Rhode Island]], announced his campaign. Chafee had been a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] while serving in the senate, and an [[Independent (United States)|Independent]] while serving as Governor. He formed an exploratory committee on April 3.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-05-29 |title=Lincoln Chafee to announce presidential run on June 3 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/lincoln-chafee-2016-presidential-run-118415 |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref> Chafee endorsed [[Barack Obama]] in [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]] and served as co-chair of his [[Barack Obama 2012 presidential campaign|re-election campaign]] in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |author=Merica, Dan |date=April 9, 2015 |title=Lincoln Chafee launches 2016 exploratory committee, goes after Clinton on Iraq |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/09/politics/lincoln-chafee-2016-presidential-plans/ |access-date=June 3, 2015 |publisher=[[CNN]].com}}</ref>

[[Martin O'Malley]], former [[Governor of Maryland]] as well as a former [[Mayor of Baltimore]], made formal steps toward a campaign for the party's nomination in January 2015 with the hiring and retaining of personnel who had served the previous year as political operatives in Iowa&nbsp;– the first presidential nominating state in the primary elections cycle&nbsp;– as staff for his [[political action committee]] (PAC). O'Malley had started the "O' Say Can You See" PAC in 2012 which had, prior to 2015, functioned primarily as fundraising vehicles for various Democratic candidates, as well as for two 2014 [[ballot measure]]s in Maryland.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/maryland-politics/post/omalley-launches-federal-pac-as-national-profile-rises/2012/07/26/gJQADPR6AX_blog.html | title=O'Malley launches federal PAC as national profile rises | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 26, 2012 | access-date=March 11, 2015 | author=Wagner, John}}</ref> With the 2015 staffing moves, the PAC ostensibly became a vehicle for O'Malley&nbsp;– who had for several months openly contemplated a presidential bid&nbsp;– to lay the groundwork for a potential campaign for the party's presidential nomination.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/omalley-with-eye-on-2016-retains-two-political-operatives-with-iowa-experience/2015/01/27/43df6060-a63f-11e4-a7c2-03d37af98440_story.html | title=O'Malley, with eye on 2016, retains two political operatives with Iowa experience | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=January 27, 2015 | access-date=March 11, 2015 | author=Wagner, John}}</ref>

In August 2015, [[Lawrence Lessig]] unexpectedly announced his intention to enter the race, promising to run if his exploratory committee raised $1 million by [[Labor Day]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/harvard-professor-hits-dollar1m-benchmark-for-white-house-bid/ar-AAe0WvJ?ocid=ansmsnnews11|title=Harvard Professor Hits Million Dollar Benchmark for White House Bid|agency=Associated Press|date=September 6, 2015}}</ref><ref name="why">{{cite web | url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/lawrence-lessig-running-for-president-20150811 | title=Why Exactly Is Lawrence Lessig Considering Running for President? | work=[[National Journal]] | date=August 11, 2015 | access-date=August 11, 2015 | author=Foran, Clare}}</ref> After accomplishing this, Lessig formally announced [[Lawrence Lessig presidential campaign, 2016|his campaign]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Walker|first1=Hayley|title=Harvard Professor Larry Lessig Says He's Running for President|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/harvard-professor-larry-lessig-running-president/story?id=33568066|access-date=September 6, 2015|work=ABC News|date=September 6, 2015}}</ref> He described his candidacy as a referendum on [[electoral reform]] legislation, prioritizing a single issue: the [[Citizen Equality Act of 2017]], a proposal that couples [[Campaign finance reform in the United States|campaign finance reform]] with other laws aimed at curbing [[Gerrymandering in the United States|gerrymandering]] and ensuring [[Voter suppression in the United States|voting access]].<ref name="exploring">{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/11/politics/larry-lessig-presidential-campaign-exploration/index.html | title=Harvard professor Lawrence Lessig is exploring a long shot presidential bid | publisher=CNN | date=August 11, 2015 | access-date=August 11, 2015 | author=Merica, Dan}}</ref><ref name="all_in">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/referendum-presidency-larry-lessig/411013/ |title=Larry Lessig Isn't Giving Up On His Presidential Campaign|work=The Atlantic|last1=Lessig|first1=Lawrence|date=October 17, 2015|access-date=December 5, 2015}}</ref>

===Overview=== {| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin:11px" |- | style="background:#0047ab;"| | Nominee |- | style="background:#007fcc;"| | Ended campaigns |- | style="background:#007f33;"| | [[Iowa caucuses#2016 process|Iowa Caucuses]] |- | style="background:red"| | [[Super Tuesday 2016|Super Tuesday]] |- | style="background:orange"| | [[2016 United States presidential election in the District of Columbia#Democratic primary|D.C. Primary]] |- | style="background:darkBlue;"| | [[2016 Democratic National Convention|Convention 2016]] |}

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PlotData= width:15 fontsize:S textcolor:black anchor:till shift:(10,-4) barset:Candidates from:04/12/2015 till:07/26/2016 color:HC text: "[[Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign|Clinton]]" from:04/30/2015 till:07/26/2016 color:BS text: "[[Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign|Sanders]]" from:05/30/2015 till:02/01/2016 color:MO text: "[[Martin O'Malley 2016 presidential campaign|O'Malley]]" from:09/06/2015 till:11/02/2015 color:LL text: "[[Lawrence Lessig 2016 presidential campaign|Lessig]]" from:06/03/2015 till:10/23/2015 color:LC text: "[[Lincoln Chafee 2016 presidential campaign|Chafee]]" from:07/02/2015 till:10/20/2015 color:JW text: "[[Jim Webb 2016 presidential campaign|Webb]]" LineData= layer:front at:02/01/2016 color:teal width:1 layer:front at:03/01/2016 color:red width:1 layer:front at:06/14/2016 color:orange width:1 layer:front at:07/25/2016 color:darkblue width:1 }}

===February 2016: early primaries=== Despite being heavily favored in polls issued weeks earlier, Clinton was only able to defeat Sanders in the first-in-the-nation [[Iowa caucuses |Iowa Caucus]] by the closest margin in the history of the contest: 49.84% to 49.59%. Clinton collected 700.47 state delegate equivalents to Sanders' 696.92, a difference of one-quarter of a percentage point.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/ia/iowa_democratic_presidential_caucus-3195.html |title=Election 2016 – Iowa Democratic Presidential Caucus|publisher=RealClearPolitics|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> This led to speculation that she won due to six coin-toss tiebreakers all resulting in her favor. However, the only challenge to the caucus' results was in a single precinct, which gave Clinton a fifth delegate.<ref name="NPRIowa">{{cite web |last=Montanaro |first=Domenico |title=Coin-Toss Fact-Check: No, Coin Flips Did Not Win Iowa For Hillary Clinton |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/02/02/465268206/coin-toss-fact-check-no-coin-flips-did-not-win-iowa-for-hillary-clinton |website=npr.org |publisher=National Public Radio, Inc. |access-date=18 August 2019}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:right; text-align:center; font-size:90%;" |- ! Date ! State/territory ! Clinton ! Sanders |- | February 1 | [[2016 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses |Iowa]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|49.8% | 49.6% |- | February 9 | [[2016 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary|New Hampshire]] | 38.0% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|60.4% |- | February 20 | [[2016 Nevada Democratic presidential caucuses|Nevada]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|52.6% | 47.3% |- | February 27 | [[2016 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary|South Carolina]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|73.5% | 26.0% |}

The victory, which was projected to award her 23 pledged national convention delegates, two more than Sanders, made Clinton the first woman to win the Caucus and marked a clear difference from [[2008 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses|2008]], where she finished in third place behind Obama and [[John Edwards]].<ref name="whotv.com">{{cite web |url = http://whotv.com/2016/02/02/hillary-clinton-narrowly-defeats-bernie-sanders-in-iowa-democratic-caucuses/ |title = All Precincts Reported: Clinton Defeats Sanders By Historically Small Margin |publisher = WHO-TV |location = Des Moines, Iowa|last1=Hepker|first1=Aaron|date=February 2, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.advocate.com/election/2016/2/02/and-winner-iowa-caucus-hillary-clinton-barely |title = And the Winner of the Iowa Caucus Is: Hillary Clinton (Barely)|last1=Ennis|first1=Dawn|date=February 2, 2016|work = The Advocate |issn = 0001-8996 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/iowa |work = The New York Times |date = February 27, 2016 |access-date = February 28, 2016 |title = Iowa Caucus Results }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/primaries/IA |title = Iowa Caucus 2016: Election Results |work = NBC News |date = February 2, 2016 }}</ref> Martin O'Malley suspended{{efn |name=suspend}} his campaign after a disappointing third-place finish with only 0.5% of the state delegate equivalents awarded, leaving Clinton and Sanders the only two major candidates in the race.<ref>{{cite news|author=Taylor, Jessica|title=Martin O'Malley Ends Presidential Bid|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/02/01/465224058/martin-omalley-ends-presidential-bid |publisher=NPR|date=February 1, 2016|access-date=February 1, 2016}}</ref> A week later, Sanders won the [[New Hampshire Democratic primary, 2016|New Hampshire primary]], receiving 60.4% of the popular vote to Clinton's 38%, putting him ahead of Clinton in the overall pledged delegate count by four, and making him the first [[Jewish]] candidate of a major party to win a primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/04/politics/bernie-sanders-jewish-new-hampshire-primary/index.html |title=Sanders 1st Jewish candidate to win presidential primary|author=Gregory Krieg|work=CNN|date=February 10, 2016|access-date=June 10, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Maggie|last=Haberman|title=New Hampshire Primary: Results and Analysis|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/new-hampshire-primary-2016-election/ |access-date=February 10, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=February 10, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/new-hampshire |work=The New York Times|date=February 27, 2016|access-date=February 28, 2016|title=New Hampshire Primary Results}}</ref> Hillary Clinton's loss in New Hampshire was a regression [[United States presidential election in New Hampshire, 2008|from 2008]], when she defeated Obama, Edwards, and a handful of other candidates including [[Joe Biden]], with 39% of the popular vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/431204/new-hampshire-primary-leaves-republicans-looking-better-general|title=New Hampshire Primary – Republicans Looking Better for General|author=Barone, Michael |date=February 12, 2016|work=National Review|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Bernie Sanders in Littleton, NH, on August 24, 2015 (20897434781).jpg|thumb|210px|Bernie Sanders speaks in [[Littleton, New Hampshire]]]]

Sanders' narrow loss in Iowa and victory in New Hampshire generated speculation about a possible loss for Clinton in [[Nevada Democratic caucuses and convention, 2016|Nevada]], the next state to hold its caucuses on February 20.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2016/02/19/what-if-hillary-clinton-loses-in-nevada/ |newspaper=The Washington Post|date=February 19, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2016|last1=Rubin|first1=Jennifer|title=What if Hillary Clinton Loses in Nevada?}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/12/why-hillary-clinton-should-be-worried-about-nevada/ |newspaper=The Washington Post|date=February 12, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2016|last1=Cilizza|first1=Chris|title=Why Hillary Clinton should be worried about Nevada}}</ref> For her part, Clinton, who had won the state eight years prior in the [[2008 Nevada Democratic caucuses]], hoped that a victory would allay concerns about a possible repetition of 2008 when she ultimately lost to Obama despite entering the primary season as the favorite for the nomination.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-0206-clinton-new-hampshire-primary-20160205-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times|date=February 5, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2016|title=With New Hampshire primary nigh, Hillary Clinton shifts focus to Nevada caucuses and beyond|author=Evan Halper, Michael A. Memoli}}</ref> Ultimately, Clinton emerged victorious with 52.6% of the county delegates, a margin of victory similar to her performance in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/nevada |work=The New York Times|date=February 27, 2016|access-date=February 28, 2016|title=Nevada Caucus Results}}</ref> Sanders, who attained 47.3% of the vote, was projected to receive five fewer pledged delegates than Clinton. The result was not promising for the following weekend's primary in South Carolina, more demographically favorable to Clinton than the prior contests. On February 27, Clinton won the [[South Carolina Democratic primary, 2016|South Carolina primary]] with 73.5% of the vote, receiving a larger percentage of the [[African American]] vote than Barack Obama had [[United States presidential election in South Carolina, 2008|eight years earlier]] – 90% to Obama's 80%.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url = https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-south-carolina-democratic-primary-exit-poll-analysis/story?id=37241467 |title = Black Voters Boost Hillary Clinton to South Carolina Primary Win|first1=Gary | last1 = Langer | first2 = Gregory | last2 = Holyk | first3 = Chad Kiewiet | last3 = De Jonge|work = ABC News |access-date = March 18, 2016 }}</ref>

===March 1, 2016: Super Tuesday=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:right; clear:right; text-align:center; font-size:90%;" |+Super Tuesday |- ! State/territory ! Clinton ! Sanders |- | [[Alabama Democratic primary, 2016|Alabama]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|77.8% | 19.2% |- | [[American Samoa Democratic caucus, 2016|American Samoa]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|68.4% | 25.7% |- | [[Arkansas Democratic primary, 2016|Arkansas]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|66.3% | 29.7% |- | [[Colorado Democratic caucuses, 2016|Colorado]] | 40.4% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|59.0% |- | [[Georgia Democratic primary, 2016|Georgia]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|71.3% | 28.2% |- | [[Massachusetts Democratic primary, 2016|Massachusetts]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|49.7% | 48.3% |- | [[Minnesota Democratic caucuses, 2016|Minnesota]] | 38.3% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|61.7% |- | [[Oklahoma Democratic primary, 2016|Oklahoma]] | 41.5% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|51.9% |- | [[Tennessee Democratic primary, 2016|Tennessee]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|66.1% | 32.4% |- | [[Texas Democratic primary, 2016|Texas]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|65.2% | 33.2% |- | [[Vermont Democratic primary, 2016|Vermont]] | 13.6% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|86.1% |- | [[Virginia Democratic primary, 2016|Virginia]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|64.3% | 35.2% |} [[File:Hillary Clinton (25660779436).jpg|thumb|220px|left|Hillary Clinton during a rally, in March 2016]]

The 2016 primary schedule was significantly different from that of 2008. During [[Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2008#SuperTuesday |that election cycle]], many states moved their primaries or caucuses to earlier in the calendar to have greater influence over the race. In 2008, February 5 was the earliest date allowed by the Democratic National Committee, leading 23 states and territories to move their elections to that date, the biggest Super Tuesday to ever take place. For 2016, the calendar was more disparate than it was in 2008, with several groups of states voting on different dates, the most important being March 1, March 15, April 26 and June 7. The day with the most contests was March 1, 2016, in which primaries or caucuses were held in 11 states, including six in the American south, and [[American Samoa]]. A total of 865 pledged delegates were at stake.

Clinton secured victories in all of the southern contests except [[Oklahoma Democratic primary, 2016|Oklahoma]]. Her biggest victory of the day came in [[Alabama Democratic primary, 2016|Alabama]], where she won 77.8% of the vote against Sanders' 19.2%. Her most significant delegate prize came from Texas, where she received 65.2% of the vote with strong support from non-white as well as white voters. Collectively, the southern states gave Clinton a net gain of 165 pledged delegates.<ref name="nyt-st1-res">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/2016-03-01 |title=Super Tuesday Results 2016|work=The New York Times|date=March 14, 2016|access-date=April 6, 2016}}</ref> Apart from the South, Clinton also narrowly defeated Sanders in [[Massachusetts Democratic primary, 2016|Massachusetts]], as well as winning in the territory of [[American Samoa]].<ref name="Seitz-Wald, Alex">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/hillary-clinton-hauls-delegates-bernie-sanders-expense-super-tuesday-n529941|title=Super Tuesday: Hillary Clinton Hauls in Delegates But Bernie Sanders Fights On|author=Seitz-Wald, Alex|work=NBC News|date=March 2, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref>

Sanders scored comfortable wins in the [[Minnesota Democratic caucuses, 2016|Minnesota]] and [[Colorado Democratic caucuses, 2016|Colorado]] caucuses and the [[Oklahoma Democratic primary, 2016|Oklahoma]] primary. He won an 86.1%–13.6% landslide in his home state of [[Vermont Democratic primary, 2016|Vermont]] – one of only two times either of the two main candidates missed the 15% threshold in a state or territory, with the [[U.S. Virgin Islands]], where Clinton received over 87% of the vote, being the other one. Although the results overall were unfavorable for Sanders, his four wins and narrow loss allowed him to remain in the race in anticipation of more favorable territory in [[New England]], the [[Great Plains]], [[Mountain States]] and the [[Pacific Northwest]].<ref name="Seitz-Wald, Alex"/> At the end of the day, Clinton collected 518 pledged delegates to Sanders' 347, taking her lead to 609–412, a difference of 197 pledged delegates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/hillary-clintons-got-this/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302171536/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/hillary-clintons-got-this/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 2, 2016|title=Hillary Clinton's Got This|work=FiveThirtyEight|last1=Enten|first1=Harry|date=March 2, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref>

===Mid-March contests=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:right; text-align:center; font-size:90%;" |+Mid-March contests |- ! State/territory ! Clinton ! Sanders |- | [[Florida Democratic primary, 2016|Florida]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|64.4% | 33.3% |- | [[Illinois Democratic primary, 2016|Illinois]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|50.5% | 48.7% |- | [[Kansas Democratic caucuses, 2016|Kansas]] | 32.3% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|67.7% |- | [[Louisiana Democratic primary, 2016|Louisiana]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|71.1% | 23.2% |- | [[Maine Democratic caucuses, 2016|Maine]] | 35.5% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|64.3% |- | [[Michigan Democratic primary, 2016|Michigan]] | 48.3% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|49.8% |- | [[Mississippi Democratic primary, 2016|Mississippi]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|82.6% | 16.5% |- | [[Missouri Democratic primary, 2016|Missouri]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|49.6% | 49.4% |- | [[Nebraska Democratic caucuses, 2016|Nebraska]] | 42.9% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|57.1% |- | [[North Carolina Democratic primary, 2016|North Carolina]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|54.6% | 40.8% |- | [[Northern Mariana Islands Democratic caucus, 2016|N. Mariana Islands]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|54.0% | 34.4% |- | [[Ohio Democratic primary, 2016|Ohio]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|56.5% | 42.7% |} [[File: Hillary Clinton Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix, Arizona.jpeg|thumb|220px|left|Hillary Clinton speaks in [[Phoenix, Arizona]], in March 2016]] [[File: Bill Clinton by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|220px|left|[[Bill Clinton]] campaigning for his wife in March 2016]]

Sanders found more hospitable ground on the weekend of March 5, 2016, winning caucuses in [[Kansas Democratic caucuses, 2016|Kansas]], [[Maine Democratic caucuses, 2016|Maine]] and [[Nebraska Democratic caucuses, 2016|Nebraska]] by significant margins. Clinton answered with an even larger win in [[Louisiana Democratic primary, 2016|Louisiana's primary]], limiting Sanders' net gain for the weekend to only four delegates. Clinton would also win the [[Northern Mariana Islands Democratic caucus, 2016|Northern Mariana Islands caucus]], held the following weekend on March 12. Two states had held nominating contests on March 8 – [[Michigan]] and [[Mississippi]] – with Clinton heavily favored to win both.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/election-2016/primary-forecast/michigan-democratic/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160212025307/http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/election-2016/primary-forecast/michigan-democratic/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 12, 2016 |title=2016 Primary Forecasts: Michigan Democratic primary|work=FiveThirtyEight|date=January 12, 2016 |access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/election-2016/primary-forecast/mississippi-democratic/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305211723/http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/election-2016/primary-forecast/mississippi-democratic/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |title=2016 Primary Forecasts: Mississippi Democratic primary|work=FiveThirtyEight|date=January 12, 2016 |access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref>

[[Mississippi Democratic primary, 2016|Mississippi]] went for Clinton, as expected, by a landslide margin. The Mississippi primary was the highest vote share Clinton won in any state. However, Sanders stunned by scoring a narrow win in [[Michigan Democratic primary, 2016|Michigan]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2016/03/09/456e780e-e53a-11e5-b0fd-073d5930a7b7_story.html |title=Sanders wins surprise, narrow victory in Michigan|newspaper=The Washington Post|first1=John | last1 = Wagner | first2 = Anne | last2 = Gearan | first3 = Abby | last3 = Phillip|date=March 9, 2016|access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref> Analysts floated a number of theories to explain the failure of the Michigan polling, with most centering on pollsters' erroneous assumptions about the composition of the electorate stemming from the [[Michigan Democratic primary, 2008|2008 primary in Michigan]] not having been contested due to an impasse between the [[Michigan Democratic Party|state party]] and [[Democratic National Committee|DNC]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/09/why-were-the-polls-in-michigan-so-far-off/ |title=Why were the polls in Michigan so wrong?|newspaper=The Washington Post|last1=Bump|first1=Phillip|date=March 9, 2016|access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/03/09/469837001/why-did-the-polls-fail-to-predict-sanders-win-in-michigan |title=Why Did The Polls Fail To Predict Sanders' Win In Michigan?|first1=Kelly | last1 = McEvers | first2 = Harry | last2 = Enten|publisher=NPR|date=March 9, 2016|access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-the-polls-missed-bernie-sanders-michigan-upset/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310101043/http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-the-polls-missed-bernie-sanders-michigan-upset/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |title=Why The Polls Missed Bernie Sanders's Michigan Upset|work=FiveThirtyEight|last1=Bialik|first1=Carl|date=March 9, 2016|access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref>

Although Clinton expanded her delegate lead, some journalists suggested Sanders' upset might presage her defeat in other delegate-rich Midwestern states,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-democrat-primaries-analysis-20160309-story.html |title=Bernie Sanders surprises Hillary Clinton in Michigan. Is Ohio next?|date=March 9, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|last1=Decker|first1=Cathleen|access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref> such as [[Missouri Democratic primary, 2016|Missouri]], [[Ohio Democratic primary, 2016|Ohio]] and [[Illinois Democratic primary, 2016|Illinois]], who voted a week later on March 15, along with [[North Carolina Democratic primary, 2016|North Carolina]] and [[Florida Democratic primary, 2016|Florida]], where Clinton was more clearly favored.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/election-2016/primary-forecast/north-carolina-democratic/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123211918/http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/election-2016/primary-forecast/north-carolina-democratic/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 23, 2016 |title=2016 Primary Forecasts: North Carolina Democratic primary|work=FiveThirtyEight|date=January 12, 2016 |access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/election-2016/primary-forecast/florida-democratic/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160315152647/http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/election-2016/primary-forecast/florida-democratic/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 15, 2016 |title=2016 Primary Forecasts: Florida Democratic primary|work=FiveThirtyEight|date=January 12, 2016 |access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref> Clinton was able to sweep all five primaries, extending her pledged delegate lead by around 100 delegates, although Sanders was able to hold Clinton to narrow margins in her birth-state of Illinois and especially Missouri, where Clinton won by a mere 0.2 points.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/2016-03-15 |title=March 15 Primary Results 2016|work=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press|date=March 22, 2016|access-date=April 6, 2016}}</ref>

Missouri state law allowed for a possible recount had any of the candidates requested it; however, Sanders forwent the opportunity on the basis that it would not significantly affect the delegate allocation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/18/us/politics/missouri-primary-results.html |title=Bernie Sanders Says He Won't Seek Recount in Missouri|date=March 18, 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/2016-election-results/missouri/ |title=Missouri Election Results 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> By the end of the evening, Clinton had expanded her pledged delegate lead to more than 320, several times larger than her greatest deficit in the [[Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2008|2008 primary]].{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

===Late March and early April=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:right; text-align:center; font-size:90%;" |+Late March / Early April contests |- ! State/territory ! Clinton ! Sanders |- | [[Alaska Democratic caucuses, 2016|Alaska]] | 18.4% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|81.6% |- | [[Arizona Democratic primary, 2016|Arizona]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|56.5% | 41.1% |- | [[Democrats Abroad primary, 2016|Democrats Abroad]] | 30.9% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|68.9% |- | [[Hawaii Democratic caucuses, 2016|Hawaii]] | 28.4% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|71.5% |- | [[Idaho Democratic caucuses, 2016|Idaho]] | 21.2% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|78.0% |- | [[Utah Democratic caucuses, 2016|Utah]] | 20.3% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|79.3% |- | [[Washington (state) Democratic caucuses, 2016|Washington]] | 27.1% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|72.7% |- | [[Wisconsin Democratic primary, 2016|Wisconsin]] | 43.1% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |56.6% |- | [[Wyoming Democratic caucuses, 2016|Wyoming]] | 44.3% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |55.7% |} Following the March 15 primaries, the race moved to a series of contests more favorable for Sanders. On March 21, the results of the [[Democrats Abroad primary, 2016|Democrats Abroad]] primary (held March 1–8) were announced. Sanders was victorious and picked up nine delegates to Clinton's four, closing his delegate deficit by five.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/21/politics/bernie-sanders-wins-democrats-abroad/index.html |title=Bernie Sanders wins Democrats Abroad primary|author=Yoon, Robert|date=March 21, 2016|publisher=CNN|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> [[Arizona]], [[Idaho]] and [[Utah]] held primaries on March 22, dubbed "Western Tuesday" by media.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/23/politics/primary-election-2016-takeaways/ |title=Primary election results: 5 takeaways from Western Tuesday|author=Bradner, Eric|date=March 23, 2016|publisher=CNN|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> Despite continued efforts by Sanders to close the gap in Arizona after his surprise win in Michigan, Clinton won the primary with 56.3% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-arizona-utah-idaho-221100 |title=Clinton cruises in Arizona, Sanders takes Utah and Idaho|work=Politico|last1=Gass|first1=Nick|date=March 22, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> However, Clinton lost both Idaho and Utah by roughly 60 points, allowing Sanders to close his delegate deficit by 25.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/03/22/hillary_clinton_and_bernie_sanders_square_off_in_arizona_idaho_and_utah.html |title=Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders square off in Arizona, Idaho, and Utah|work=Slate|last1=Hannon|first1=Elliot|date=March 23, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/2016-03-22 |title=March 22 Primary Results 2016|work=The New York Times|date=March 29, 2016|access-date=April 6, 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Bernie Sanders speaking at the Hec Edmundson Pavilion in Seattle on August 8, 2015 (20443202111).jpg|thumb|220px|left|Sanders speaks in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], March 2016]]

The next states to vote were [[Alaska Democratic caucuses, 2016|Alaska]], [[Hawaii Democratic caucuses, 2016|Hawaii]] and [[Washington (state) Democratic caucuses, 2016|Washington]] on March 26, 2016.<ref name=SandersSweep>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-alaska-hawaii-washington-221239 |title=Can Sanders sweep Clinton in today's contests?|work=Politico|last1=Strauss|first1=Daniel|date=March 26, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> All three states were considered as favorable for Sanders, and most political analysts expected him to win them all, given the demographics and Sanders' strong performance in previous caucuses.<ref name=SandersSweep/> Sanders finished the day with a net gain of roughly 66 delegates over Clinton. His largest win was in Alaska, where he defeated Clinton with 82% of the vote, although the majority of his delegate gain came from the considerably more populous state of [[Washington (state)|Washington]], which he won by a 46% margin, outperforming then-Senator Obama's 2008 results, when he defeated Clinton 68%–31%.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-system-isnt-rigged-against-sanders/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527032849/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-system-isnt-rigged-against-sanders/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 27, 2016|title=The System Isn't 'Rigged" Against Sanders|website=FiveThirtyEight|author=Harry Enten, Nate Silver|date=March 26, 2016|access-date=February 22, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/03/27/cnns_jake_tapper_bernie_sanders_outperforming_obama_in_washington_state.html |title=Bernie Sanders "Outperforming Obama" In Washington State|website=Real Clear Politics|last1=Hains|first1=Tim|date=March 27, 2016|access-date=April 8, 2016}}</ref>

The Clinton and Sanders campaigns reached an agreement on April 4 for a ninth debate to take place on April 14 (five days before the [[New York Democratic primary, 2016|New York primary]]) in [[Brooklyn, New York]], which would air on CNN and NY1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.democrats.org/more/the-2016-primary-debate-schedule|title=NYC debate info|publisher=Democrats.org|access-date=April 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413030351/http://www.democrats.org/more/the-2016-primary-debate-schedule|archive-date=April 13, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> On April 5, Sanders won the [[Wisconsin Democratic primary, 2016|Wisconsin primary]] by 13 and 1/2 percentage points, closing his delegate deficit by 10 more. The [[Wyoming Democratic caucuses, 2016|Wyoming caucuses]] were held on April 9, which Sanders won with 55.7% of the state convention delegates choosing him; however, Clinton had a stronger showing than expected, given her demographic disadvantage and that she did not campaign personally in the state. Each candidate was estimated to have earned 7 of Wyoming's 14 pledged delegates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/WY-D |title=Wyoming Democrat|work=The Green Papers|access-date=April 10, 2016}}</ref>

===Late April and May=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:right; text-align:center; font-size:90%;" |+Late April and May |- ! State/territory ! Clinton

!Sanders |- | [[New York Democratic primary, 2016|New York]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|58.0% | 42.0% |- | [[Connecticut Democratic primary, 2016|Connecticut]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|51.7% | 46.5% |- | [[Delaware Democratic primary, 2016|Delaware]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|59.8% | 39.2% |- | [[Maryland Democratic primary, 2016|Maryland]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|63.0% | 33.3% |- | [[Pennsylvania Democratic primary, 2016|Pennsylvania]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|55.6% | 43.6% |- | [[Rhode Island Democratic primary, 2016|Rhode Island]] | 43.3% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|55.0% |- | [[Indiana Democratic primary, 2016|Indiana]] | 47.5% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|52.5% |- | [[Guam Democratic caucus, 2016|Guam]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|59.5% | 40.5% |- | [[West Virginia Democratic primary, 2016|West Virginia]] | 35.8% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|51.4% |- | [[Kentucky Democratic primary, 2016|Kentucky]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|46.8% | 46.3% |- | [[Oregon Democratic primary, 2016|Oregon]] |42.5% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|55.9% |} [[File:Bernie Sanders at Transmitter Park 02.jpg|thumb|220px|left|Sanders speaks in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York City|New York]], April 2016]]

On April 19, Clinton won [[New York Democratic primary, 2016|New York]] by 16 points. While Sanders performed well in [[Upstate New York]] and with younger voters, Clinton performed well among all other age groups and non-whites, and she won a majority in all boroughs of [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/04/19/us/elections/new-york-city-democratic-primary-results.html#11/40.7085/-73.9473|author1=Bloch, Matthew|author2=Andrews, Wilson|title=How Every New York City Neighborhood Voted in the Democratic Primary|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 20, 2016|access-date=July 31, 2016}}</ref>

Five [[Northeastern United States|Northeastern]] states held primaries a week later on April 26. The day was dubbed the "Super Tuesday III" or the "Acela Primary" after [[Amtrak]]'s ''[[Acela Express]]'' train service that connects these states.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/4865138510001/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-win-big-on-super-tuesday-iii/? |title=Donald Trump Hillary Clinton Win Big on Super Tuesday III|publisher=Fox News|date=April 27, 2016|access-date=April 27, 2016}}</ref> Clinton won in [[Delaware Democratic primary, 2016|Delaware]], [[Maryland Democratic primary, 2016|Maryland]], [[Pennsylvania Democratic primary, 2016|Pennsylvania]] and [[Connecticut Democratic primary, 2016|Connecticut]]. Sanders won the [[Rhode Island Democratic primary, 2016|Rhode Island primary]].

On May 3, Sanders pulled off a surprise victory in the [[Indiana Democratic primary, 2016|Indiana primary]], winning by a five-point margin despite trailing in all the state's polls.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/03/bernie-sanders-wins-indiana-democratic-primary |title=Bernie Sanders pulls off shock victory over Hillary Clinton in Indiana|last1=Roberts|first1=Dan|last2=Jacobs|first2=Ben|date=May 4, 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=May 4, 2016}}</ref> Clinton won the [[Guam Democratic caucus, 2016|Guam caucus]] on May 7<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/07/politics/hillary-clinton-wins-guam-democratic-caucuses/ |title=Hillary Clinton wins Guam Democratic caucuses|last=Roberts|first=Yoon|date=May 7, 2016|publisher=CNN|access-date=May 7, 2016}}</ref> and, on May 10, she won the [[2016 Nebraska Democratic caucuses|non-binding Nebraska primary]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electionresults.sos.ne.gov/resultsSW.aspx?text=Race&type=PRS&map=CTY|title=Election Results|last=Gale|first=John A|date=May 10, 2016|publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State|access-date=June 5, 2016|archive-date=September 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915193303/http://electionresults.sos.ne.gov/resultsSW.aspx?text=Race&type=PRS&map=CTY|url-status=dead}}</ref> while Sanders won in [[West Virginia Democratic primary, 2016|West Virginia]].

Clinton narrowly won [[Kentucky Democratic primary, 2016|Kentucky]] on May 17 by half a percentage point and gained one delegate, after heavily campaigning in the state. On the same day, Sanders won his second closed primary in [[Oregon Democratic primary, 2016|Oregon]], gaining nine delegates, a net gain of eight on the day. Clinton won the [[2016 Washington Democratic presidential caucuses|non-binding Washington primary]] on May 24.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.vote.wa.gov/results/current/President-Democratic-Party.html|title=Democratic primary results|last=Wyman|first=Tim|date=May 25, 2016|publisher=Washington Secretary of State|access-date=June 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608211044/http://results.vote.wa.gov/results/current/President-Democratic-Party.html|archive-date=June 8, 2016|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> {{clear}}

=== June contests === {| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:right; text-align:center; font-size:90%;" |+June contests |- ! State/territory ! Clinton

!Sanders |- | [[United States Virgin Islands Democratic caucuses, 2016|Virgin Islands]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|87.1% | 12.9% |- | [[Puerto Rico Democratic caucuses, 2016|Puerto Rico]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|59.4% | 37.5% |- | [[California Democratic primary, 2016|California]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|53.1% | 46.0% |- | [[Montana Democratic primary, 2016|Montana]] | 44.6% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|51.0% |- | [[New Jersey Democratic primary, 2016|New Jersey]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|63.3% | 36.7% |- | [[New Mexico Democratic primary, 2016|New Mexico]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|51.5% | 48.5% |- | [[North Dakota Democratic caucuses, 2016|North Dakota]] | 25.6% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|64.2% |- | [[South Dakota Democratic primary, 2016|South Dakota]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|51.0% | 49.0% |- | [[United States presidential election in the District of Columbia, 2016#Democratic primary|District of Columbia]] | {{party shading/Democratic}}|78.7% | 21.1% |} [[File:Hillary Clinton at Planned Parenthood Action Fund-9.jpg|thumb|220px|left|Clinton speaks in [[Washington, D.C.]], June 2016]]

June contained the final contests of the Democratic primaries, and both Sanders and Clinton invested heavily into winning the [[California Democratic primary, 2016|California primary]]. Clinton led the polls in California but some predicted a narrow race.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/it-s-close-california-clinton-49-sanders-47-n584141 |title=Dem Race Tightens in California as Clinton Barely Leads Sanders 49% to 47%: Poll|first=Mark|last=Murray|publisher=NBC|date=June 2, 2016|access-date=June 8, 2016}}</ref> On June 4 and 5, Clinton won two decisive victories in the [[United States Virgin Islands Democratic caucuses, 2016|Virgin Islands caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_2016_ELECTION_VIRGIN_ISLANDS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |title=Clinton moves closer to nomination, sweeps in Virgin Islands|first=Hope|last=Yen|publisher=Associated Press|date=June 5, 2016|access-date=June 5, 2016}}</ref> and [[Puerto Rico Democratic caucuses, 2016|Puerto Rico primary]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_2016_ELECTION_RDP?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-06-06-01-47-21|title=Clinton wins Puerto Rico's primary|first1= Dania|last1=Coto|first2=Lisa|last2=Lerer|publisher=Associated Press|date=June 5, 2016|access-date=June 5, 2016}}</ref> On June 6, both the Associated Press and NBC News reported that Clinton had sufficient support from pledged and unpledged delegates to become the presumptive Democratic nominee.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-clinton-idUSKCN0YS0Y4|title=Clinton clinches Democratic presidential nomination: AP and NBC|first= James|last=Oliphant|work=Reuters|date=June 6, 2016|access-date=June 6, 2016}}</ref>

Clinton's campaign seemed reluctant to accept the mantle of "presumptive nominee" before all the voting was concluded,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-trailguide-clinton-campaign-tuesday-is-the-real-1465261823-htmlstory.html |title=Hillary Clinton's immediate response to AP: Tuesday is the real clinching moment|author=Memoli, Michael A.|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> while Sanders' campaign stated it would continue to run and accused the media of a "rush to judgement."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/sanders-blames-media-s-rush-judgment-clinton-hits-delegate-majority-n586891|title=Sanders Blames Media's 'Rush to Judgment' as Clinton Hits Delegate Majority|work=NBC News|author=Dann, Carrie|date=June 6, 2016|access-date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> Six states held their primaries on June 7. Clinton won in [[California Democratic primary, 2016|California]], [[New Jersey Democratic primary, 2016|New Jersey]], [[New Mexico Democratic primary, 2016|New Mexico]] and [[South Dakota Democratic primary, 2016|South Dakota]]. Sanders won [[Montana Democratic primary, 2016|Montana]] and [[North Dakota Democratic caucuses, 2016|North Dakota]], the latter being the only caucus contest held on that day.<ref name="NYT 2016-06-07">{{cite news|last1=Healy|first1=Patrick|last2=Martin|first2=Jonathan|title=Hillary Clinton Wins California, Bolstering Claim to Nomination|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/08/us/politics/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-primary.html|access-date=June 8, 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> Clinton finally declared victory on the evening of June 7, as the results ensured that she had won a majority of the pledged delegates and the popular vote.<ref name="NYT 2016-06-07"/>

Sanders stated he would continue to run for the Democratic Party's nomination in the final primary in the [[2016 District of Columbia Democratic presidential primary|District of Columbia]] on June 14,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/article/bernie-sanders-will-help-hillary-clinton-defeat-trump|title=Bernie Sanders Will Fight One Last Primary But Pledges to Work With Hillary Clinton to Avert 'Disaster' of a President Trump|website=People|last1=Westfall|first1=Sandra Sobieraj|access-date=June 10, 2016}}</ref> which Clinton won. Both campaigns met at a downtown Washington D.C. hotel after the primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/14/politics/district-of-columbia-primary-results/index.html |title=Clinton, Sanders meet; Clinton wins D.C. primary|author1=Theodore Schleifer |author2=Jeff Zeleny|work=CNN|date=June 14, 2016|access-date=June 17, 2016}}</ref> The Sanders campaign said that they would release a video statement on June 16 to clarify the future of Sanders' campaign; the video announced that Sanders looked forward to help Clinton defeat Trump.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/06/16/bernie-sanders-livestream-supporters/86003384/ |title=Bernie Sanders says Democrats' top task is defeating Donald Trump|author=Gaudiano, Nicole|work=USA Today|date=June 16, 2016|access-date=August 1, 2016}}</ref> On July 12, 2016, Sanders endorsed Clinton in [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wptz.com/news/clinton-sanders-to-appear-together-at-portsmouth-campaign-event/40468058|title=Sen. Bernie Sanders ends bid, endorses Hillary Clinton for president|author1=Evans, Brad|author2=Ledbetter, Stewart|publisher=WPTZ|date=July 13, 2016|access-date=August 1, 2016}}</ref>

===July 2016: National Convention and email leaks=== ====Email leaks==== {{Main|Democratic National Committee cyber attacks|2016 Democratic National Committee email leak}} On July 22, 2016, [[WikiLeaks]] released online tens of thousands of messages leaked from the e-mail accounts of seven key DNC staff.<ref name=dncleak>{{cite news|title=Here are the latest, most damaging things in the DNC's leaked emails|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/07/24/here-are-the-latest-most-damaging-things-in-the-dncs-leaked-emails/|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=25 July 2016}}</ref> Some e-mails showed two DNC staffers discussing the possibility that Sanders' possible atheism might harm him in a general election with religious voters. Others showed a few staffers had expressed personal preferences that Clinton should become the nominee, suggesting that the party's leadership had worked to undermine Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign.<ref name=dncleak /> Then-DNC chair [[Debbie Wasserman Schultz]] called the accusations lies.<ref name=dncleak />

The furor raised over this matter escalated to Wasserman Schultz's resignation ahead of the convention,<ref>{{cite news|title=Debbie Wasserman Schultz to Resign D.N.C. Post|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/25/us/politics/debbie-wasserman-schultz-dnc-wikileaks-emails.html?_r=1|newspaper=The New York Times|date=24 July 2016}}</ref> and that of Marshals, Dacey, and Communications Director Luis Miranda afterwards.<ref>{{cite news|title=DNC CEO resigns in wake of email controversy|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/02/politics/dnc-ceo-resigns-in-wake-of-email-scandal/index.html|publisher=CNN|date=25 July 2016}}</ref> Following Wasserman Schultz's resignation, then-DNC Vice Chair [[Donna Brazile]] took over as interim DNC chairwoman for the convention and remained so until February 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/perez-elected-dnc-chairman-235392 |title=Perez elected DNC chairman |last=Debenedetti |first=Gabriel |date=February 25, 2017 |publisher=Politico|access-date=March 2, 2018}}</ref> In November 2017, Brazile said in her book and related interviews that the Clinton campaign and the DNC had colluded 'unethically' by giving the Clinton campaign control over the DNC's personnel and press releases before the primary in return for funding to eliminate the DNC's remaining debt from 2012 campaign,<ref name=":02"/> in addition to using the DNC and state committees to funnel campaign-limitation-exceeding donations to her campaign.<ref name=":14">{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/clinton-fundraising-leaves-little-for-state-parties-222670|title=Clinton fundraising leaves little for state parties|work=Politico|access-date=November 9, 2018}}</ref> Internal memos later surfaced, claiming that these measures were not meant to affect the nominating process despite their timing.<ref name=":15">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/memo-reveals-details-hillary-clinton-dnc-deal-n817411|title=Memo Reveals Details of Hillary Clinton-DNC Deal|last=Seitz-Wald|first=Alex|date=November 3, 2017|work=NBC News|access-date=March 2, 2018}}</ref> At the end of June 2016, it was claimed that "more money [from the Hillary Victory Fund] will be moved to the state parties in the coming months."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/dnc-leak-clinton-team-deflected-state-cash-concerns-226191|title=DNC sought to hide details of Clinton funding deal|last1=Vogel|first1=Kenneth P.|last2=Arnsdorf|first2=Isaac|date=July 26, 2016|work=Politico|access-date=February 21, 2019}}</ref> Brazile later clarified that she claimed the process was 'unethical', but 'not a criminal act'.<ref name=":52"/><ref name=":16">{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/05/donna-brazile-rigged-democrats-clinton-sanders-244566|title=Brazile: I found 'no evidence' Democratic primary was rigged|last=Lima|first=Cristiano|date=November 5, 2017|publisher=Politico|access-date=March 2, 2018}}</ref>

DNC officials including chairman [[Tom Perez]] pointed out that the same joint-fundraising agreement had been offered to Sanders and applied only to the general election; however, the Clinton campaign also had a second agreement that granted it additional, unusual oversight over hiring and policy, even though the text of the agreement insisted on the DNC's impartiality and focus on the general election.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/11/03/561976645/clinton-campaign-had-additional-signed-agreement-with-dnc-in-2015|title=Clinton Campaign Had Additional Signed Agreement With DNC In 2015|last=Detrow|first=Scott|publisher=NPR|date=November 3, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2019}}</ref> Brazile later denied that the primary was rigged, because "no votes were overturned," but described herself as "very upset" about a DNC–Clinton fundraising agreement.<ref>Shelbourne, Mallory (November 14, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/360304-brazile-primary-was-not-rigged-because-no-votes-were-overturned/ "Brazile: Dem primary was not rigged because no votes were overturned"]. ''[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]''. Retrieved February 21, 2019.</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' characterized Brazile's eventual argument as: "Clinton exerted too much power but did win the nomination fairly."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/11/08/donna-brazile-is-walking-back-her-claim-that-the-democratic-primary-was-rigged|title=Donna Brazile is walking back her claim that the Democratic primary was 'rigged'|last1=Borchers|first1=Callum|date=November 8, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=June 2, 2019}}</ref>

====Russian involvement==== After the general election, the U.S. intelligence community and the [[Mueller special counsel investigation|Special Counsel investigation]] assessed that the leaks were part of a larger [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|interference campaign by the Russian government]] to cause political instability in the United States and to damage the Hillary Clinton campaign by bolstering the candidacies of Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, and Jill Stein.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/russia-mueller-election.html|title=Inside a 3-Year Russian Campaign to Influence U.S. Voters|last1=Shane|first1=Scott|last2=Mazzetti|first2=Mark|date=February 16, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 16, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=RepJan6>{{cite web |url=https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf |title=Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections |date=January 6, 2017 |publisher=[[Office of the Director of National Intelligence]] |access-date=May 16, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Entous |first1=Adam |last2=Nakashima |first2=Ellen |last3=Miller |first3=Greg |title=Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-orders-review-of-russian-hacking-during-presidential-campaign/2016/12/09/31d6b300-be2a-11e6-94ac-3d324840106c_story.html |access-date=11 July 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=9 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Collins |first1=Michael |title=Indictment: Russians also tried to help Bernie Sanders, Jill Stein presidential campaigns |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/17/indictment-russians-also-tried-help-bernie-sanders-jill-stein-presidential-campaigns/348051002/ |access-date=July 11, 2018 |work=USA Today |date=February 17, 2018}}</ref> The Russian government is alleged to have promoted Sanders beginning in 2015 as a way to weaken or defeat Clinton, who Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] opposed. The influence campaign by the [[Internet Research Agency]] targeted Sanders voters through social media and encouraged them to vote for a third-party candidate or abstain from voting. Sanders denounced these efforts and urged his supporters to support Clinton in the general election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kranish |first1=Michael |title=Inside the Russian effort to target Sanders supporters — and help elect Trump |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-the-russian-effort-to-target-sanders-supporters--and-help-elect-trump/2019/04/11/741d7308-5576-11e9-8ef3-fbd41a2ce4d5_story.html |access-date=16 April 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=12 April 2019}}</ref>

When news of the DNC leak first surfaced in June 2016, the Russian government denied allegations of hacking.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/15/russias-unusual-response-to-charges-it-hacked-research-on-trump/|title=Russia denies DNC hack and says maybe someone 'forgot the password'|newspaper=The Washington Post|last=Roth|first=Andrew|language=en|access-date=2018-07-12}}</ref> WikiLeaks founder [[Julian Assange]] also stated that the Russian government was not source of the leak.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/wikileaks-founder-assange-on-hacked-podesta-dnc-emails-our-source-is-not-the-russian-government/|title=Wikileaks founder Assange on hacked Podesta, DNC emails: 'Our source is not the Russian government'|date=2016-12-16|work=Fox News|access-date=July 12, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> In July 2018, the special counsel indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers for hacking and leaking the emails.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ward |first1=Alex |title=Read: Mueller indictment against 12 Russian spies for DNC hack |url=https://www.vox.com/2018/7/13/17568806/mueller-russia-intelligence-indictment-full-text |access-date=August 1, 2018 |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |date=July 13, 2018}}</ref>

====National Convention==== {{Main|2016 Democratic National Convention}} The [[2016 Democratic National Convention]] was held from July 25–28 at the [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]] in [[Philadelphia]], with some events at the [[Pennsylvania Convention Center]]. The delegates selected the Democratic presidential and vice-presidential nominees and wrote the [[party platform]]. A simple majority of 2,383 delegates was needed to win the presidential nomination.<ref name=gop-official>{{cite web |url=https://www.gop.com/official-2016-gop-delegate-count/ |title=RNC's 2016 Presidential Primary Estimated Delegate Count |publisher=Republican Party |date=April 21, 2016 |access-date=April 22, 2016}} (official source tracking active campaigns + adding delegates won on April 26, pending source update)</ref> While most of the delegates were bound on the first ballot according to the results of the primaries, a progressively larger number of pledged delegates would have become unbound if the nomination required more than one ballot.<ref name="delegateinfographic">{{cite news|last1=Epstein|first1=Reid J.|last2=McGill|first2=Brian|last3=Rust|first3=Max|title=Republican Convention's Delegate Math Explained|url=http://graphics.wsj.com/elections/2016/rnc-convention-delegates/|access-date=April 27, 2016|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=April 27, 2016}}</ref>

Clinton was nominated on the first ballot by [[acclamation]], although all states were allowed to announce how they would have voted under a typical [[roll call vote]]. On July 12, 2016, the Vermont delegates had supported Clinton in Sanders' request. Asking for party unity, he dropped out on July 26, 2016, and announced he would return to the Senate as an [[Independent politician|independent]].<ref>{{cite web|title=A day after calling for party unity, Bernie Sanders goes back to being an independent|author=Rivero, Daniel|url=http://fusion.net/story/329994/bernie-sanders-independent/|publisher=Fusion TV|date=July 26, 2016|access-date=July 31, 2016|archive-date=March 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317141211/http://fusion.net/story/329994/bernie-sanders-independent/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Graphical summary of polling== {{Further|Nationwide opinion polling for the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries}} [[File:Nationwide polls for the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries.svg]]

==Campaign finance== This is an overview of the money used in the campaign as it is reported to [[Federal Election Commission]] (FEC) and released on April 27, 2016. Outside groups are [[independent expenditure]] only committees—also called [[Political action committee|PACs and SuperPACs]]. Several such groups normally support each candidate, but the numbers in the table are a total of all of them. This means that a group of committees can be shown as [[Insolvency|technically insolvent]], shown in red, even though it is not the case of all of them. The Campaign Committee's debt is shown in red if the campaign is technically insolvent. The source of all the numbers is [[OpenSecrets]].<ref>{{cite web|title=2016 Presidential Race|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/pres16/ | publisher=[[OpenSecrets]]}}</ref> Some spending totals are not available, due to withdrawals before the FEC deadline.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:12px; text-align: center;" |- ! rowspan="2" | ! colspan="4" |Campaign committee <small>(as of April 30)</small> ! colspan="3" |Outside groups <small>(as of May 16)</small> ! rowspan="2" |Total spent ! rowspan="2" |Campaign<br />suspended{{efn |name=suspend}} |- ! Money raised ! Money spent ! Cash on hand ! Debt ! Money raised ! Money spent ! Cash on hand |- style="background:#f7e7ce;" |data-sort-value="Clinton, Hillary"|[[Hillary Clinton]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/pres16/candidate.php?id=N00000019 |title=Summary data for Hillary Clinton, 2016 Cycle|work=opensecrets.org|access-date=May 25, 2016}}</ref> |$204,258,301 |$174,101,369 |$30,156,932 |$612,248 <!--NOT INSOLVENT--> |$84,815,067 |$38,332,454 |$46,482,614 |'''$212,433,823''' |{{dts|2099-01-01|format=hide}}Convention |- |data-sort-value="Sanders, Bernie"|[[Bernie Sanders]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/pres16/candidate.php?id=N00000528 |title=Summary data for Bernie Sanders, 2016 Cycle|work=opensecrets.org|access-date=May 25, 2016}}</ref> |$227,678,274 |$219,695,969 |$8,015,274 |$898,879 |$869,412 |$1,069,765 |<span style="color:red">$-200,353</span> |'''$220,765,734''' |{{dts|2016-07-26|format=md}} |- |data-sort-value="O'Malley, Martin"|[[Martin O'Malley]] |$6,073,767 |$5,965,205 |$108,562 |$19,423<!--NOT INSOLVENT--> |$1,105,138 |$1,298,967 |<span style="color:red">$-193,829</span> |'''$7,264,172''' |{{dts|2016-02-01|format=md}} |- |data-sort-value="Lessig, Lawrence"|[[Lawrence Lessig]] |$1,196,753 |N/A |N/A |N/A |$0 |$0 |$0 |'''N/A''' |{{dts|2015-11-02|format=md}} |- |data-sort-value="Webb, Jim"|[[Jim Webb]] |$764,992 |$558,151 |$206,842 |$0 |$27,092 |$31,930 |<span style="color:red">$-4,838</span> |'''$590,081''' ||{{dts|2015-10-20|format=md}} |- |data-sort-value="Chafee, Lincoln"|[[Lincoln Chafee]] |$418,136 |N/A |N/A |N/A |N/A |N/A |N/A |'''N/A''' |{{dts|2015-10-23|format=md}} |- class="sortbottom" |}

==Process== {{See also|United States presidential primary#Process}}

The Democratic Party presidential primaries and caucuses are [[indirect election]]s in which voters elect delegates to the [[2016 Democratic National Convention]]. These delegates directly elect the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. In some states, the party may disregard voters' selection of delegates, or selected delegates may vote for any candidate at the state or national convention (''non-binding'' primary or caucus). In other states, state laws and party rules require the party to select delegates according to votes, and delegates must vote for a particular candidate (''binding'' primary or caucus).<ref name="auto1"/>

There were 4,051 pledged delegates and 714 [[superdelegate]]s in the 2016 cycle.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web |title=Democratic National Committee, 2016 Democratic National Convention Delegate/Alternate Allocation|url=https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/images/c/ce/Appendix_B_-_Allocation_Chart_1.29.16.pdf.pdf|archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20160624201100/https%3A//ballotpedia.org/wiki/images/c/ce/Appendix_B_%2D_Allocation_Chart_1.29.16.pdf.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 24, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> Under the party's delegate selection rules, the number of pledged delegates allocated to each of the 50 U.S. states and [[Washington, D.C.]] is determined using a formula based on three main factors: # The proportion of votes each state gave to the Democratic candidate in the last three presidential elections (2004, 2008, and 2012) # The number of electoral votes each state has in the [[United States Electoral College]]. # The stage of the primary season when they held their contest. States and territories that held their contests later are given bonus seats. A candidate must win 2,383 delegates at the national convention, in order to win the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.<ref name="auto1"/> For the U.S. territories of [[Puerto Rico Democratic caucus, 2016|Puerto Rico]], [[American Samoa Democratic caucus, 2016|American Samoa]], [[Guam Democratic caucus, 2016|Guam]], the [[United States Virgin Islands Democratic caucuses, 2016|U.S. Virgin Islands]] and for [[Democrats Abroad primary, 2016|Democrats Abroad]], fixed numbers of pledged delegates are allocated. All states and territories then must have used a [[proportional representation]] system, where their pledged delegates were awarded proportionally to the election results.<ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates">{{cite web|url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/D-Alloc.phtml |title=Democratic Detailed Delegate Allocation – 2016|work=The Green Papers|access-date=September 14, 2015}}</ref>

A candidate must receive at least 15% of the popular vote to win pledged delegates in a state. The current 714 unpledged superdelegates, or "soft" delegates, included members of the [[United States House of Representatives]] and [[United States Senate|Senate]], state and territorial [[List of current United States Governors|governors]], members of the Democratic National Committee, and other party leaders. Because of possible deaths, resignations, or the results of intervening or special elections, the final number of these superdelegates may be reduced before the convention.<ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates"/>

The Democratic National Committee imposed rules for states that wished to hold early contests in 2016. No state was permitted to hold a primary or caucus in January. Only Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada were entitled to February contests. Any state that violated these rules were penalized half its pledged delegates and all its superdelegates to the 2016 convention.<ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates"/>

==Schedule and results== {{Main|Results of the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries}} [[File:2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries popular vote.svg|400px]] [[File:2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries delegate count.svg|400px]] [[File:2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries delegates.svg|300px]]

The following are the results of candidates who won at least one state. These candidates were on the ballots for every state, territory and federal district contest. The results of caucuses did not always have attached preference polls and attendance was extremely limited. The unpledged delegate count did not always reflect the latest declared preferences.

{{2016USDem}}

==Superdelegate endorsements== {{Main|List of superdelegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention}}

[[Superdelegates]] are elected officials and members of the [[Democratic National Committee]] who vote at the [[2016 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] for their preferred candidate. Also known as ''unpledged delegates,'' they comprise 15% of the convention (712 votes out of 4,763) and they may change their preference at any time. The table below reflects current public endorsements of candidates by superdelegates, as detailed and sourced in the [[#Schedule and results|full list]] above. Because commonly referenced estimates of superdelegate support, including those by [[CNN]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/election/ |title=2016 Election Center – Presidential Primaries and Caucuses|publisher=CNN}}</ref> and the [[Associated Press|AP]],<ref name="interactives.ap.org">{{cite news|url=http://interactives.ap.org/2016/delegate-tracker/?apikey=uSsHZA4dlPsWwDRHDAndAwIIQZ8OQgug |title=Delegate Tracker|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> do not identify individual delegates as supporting a given candidate, their published tallies may differ from the totals computed here.

{{2016 US Democratic Superdelegates}}

==Close states== Source:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?f=0&year=2016&elect=1|title=2016 Presidential Democratic Primary Election Results}}</ref>

States where the margin of victory was under 1%: #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Missouri, 0.25%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Iowa, 0.25%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Kentucky, 0.42%</span>''' States where the margin of victory was under 5%: #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Massachusetts, 1.40%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Michigan, 1.42%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Illinois, 1.95%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">South Dakota, 2.06%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">New Mexico, 3.06%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Indiana, 4.92%</span>''' States where the margin of victory was under 10%: #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Nevada, 5.28%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Connecticut, 5.38%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">California, 7.03%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Montana, 7.40%</span>''' States where the margin of victory was under 20%: #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Oklahoma, 10.36%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Rhode Island, 11.63%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Pennsylvania, 12.08%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Ohio, 12.99%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Wisconsin, 13.54%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Wyoming, 13.64%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">North Carolina, 13.64%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Oregon, 14.18%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Nebraska, 14.28%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">Arizona, 14.90%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">West Virginia, 15.57%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:#d4aa00;">New York, 16.06%</span>''' #'''<span style="color:darkgreen;">Colorado, 18.68%</span>'''

==Maps== <gallery widths="640px" heights="396px"> File:U.S. States by Vote Distribution, 2016 (Democratic Party).svg|Breakdown of the results in vote distribution, by state File:Democratic Party presidential primaries results by county, 2016.svg|Results of popular vote, by county File:Democratic Party presidential primaries results, 2016 by margin of victory.svg|Results in popular vote margin, by state File:Democratic Party presidential primary results by county by popular vote margin 2.svg|Results in popular vote margin, by county File:Delegation Vote, 2016 (Democratic Party, only pledged delegates).svg|Breakdown of the results in pledged delegates, by state File:Delegation Vote ,2016 (Democratic Party, total delegates).svg|Breakdown of the results in total delegate count, by state File:Democratic Party presidential primaries pledged delegates results, 2016.svg|Results in pledged delegates, by state </gallery>{{clear}}

{{clear}}

==See also== {{Portal|2010s|Liberalism|Politics|United States}}

'''Related'''

'''Democratic Party articles''' * [[Results of the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries]] * [[Nationwide opinion polling for the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries]] * [[Statewide opinion polling for the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries]] * [[2016 Democratic Party presidential candidates]] * [[2016 Democratic Party presidential debates and forums]] * [[List of Democratic Party presidential primaries]]

'''Presidential primaries''' * [[2016 Constitution Party presidential primaries]] * [[2016 Green Party presidential primaries]] * [[2016 Libertarian Party presidential primaries]] * [[2016 Republican Party presidential primaries]]

'''National conventions''' * [[Constitution Party National Convention#2016 Convention|2016 Constitution Party National Convention]] * [[2016 Democratic National Convention]] * [[2016 Green National Convention]] * [[2016 Libertarian National Convention]] * [[2016 Republican National Convention]]

==Notes== {{Reflist|group=note}} {{Notelist|2}}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Commons category}}

* [http://www.democraticconventionwatch.com Democratic Convention Watch] * [http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/ Green papers for 2016 primaries, caucuses, and conventions] * [https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/14/us/politics/democratic-debate-transcript.html Full Transcript: Democratic Presidential Debate October 14, 2015] * [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/3/4/1496004/-Updated-Snapshot-Hillary-Bernie One-page summary on Daily Kos of candidate differences only (many links to sources)]

{{United States presidential election, 2016}} {{U.S. presidential primaries}} {{State results of the 2016 U.S. presidential election}} {{Hillary Clinton}} {{Bernie Sanders}} {{Democratic Party (United States)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2016}} [[Category:2016 Democratic Party (United States) presidential campaigns| ]] [[Category:2016 United States Democratic presidential primaries| ]] [[Category:2016 in women's history]]