The 5 Different Ways This Election Could End
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

The 5 Different Ways This Election Could End

What The Polls (And The Past) Tell Us About November 8th.

8
The 5 Different Ways This Election Could End
COMSTOCK IMAGES VIA GETTY IMAGES

The time has almost come for nearly 150 million Americans to cast their votes on who will lead their country for the next 4, and potentially 8, years. So with the election just over a week away let’s take a look at the potential outcomes for one of the most unpredictable elections in decade.

1. A Clinton Victory.

Relatively straight forward. Hillary Clinton wins both the popular vote and the Electoral College. Currently ranked as the most likely outcome by FiveThirtyEight as a 80.9% chance based on their polling and historical analysis. A Clinton win by a normal to large margin of around 5% would potentially help the Democrats retake the Senate but probably wouldn’t reshape politics as we know it.

2. A Clinton Blowout.

Similar to the previous result, Clinton wins the popular vote and the Electoral College but this time by massive margins. Defined as a double-digit win in the popular vote a Clinton blow-out is currently predicted by FiveThirtyEight with a 16.0% meaning that if the election was held five times Clinton would probably win four of them, one by double digits. A victory of this size would almost certainly ensure Democratic control over the Senate and potentially even bring into play a lot of normally uncompetitive House seats giving the Democrats a real but admittedly slim chance at retaking the chamber and having unified control in 2017. For a deeper statistical analysis on a Clinton blow out state by state check here.

3. A Trump Victory.

Once again straight forward. Donald J. Trump prevails against most predictions and polling models to win both the popular vote. This is currently viewed as an 11% by FiveThirtyEight. While surprising, a Trump victory would not be the most historical upset of all time. In terms of spillover effects a Trump victory may help down-ballot Republicans but could also have the adverse effect of hurting establishment Republicans who withdrew their support or endorsement of Trump in recent years. If you’re interested in a more detailed look at what a Trump victory might look like, check this article out here.

4. A Trump Electoral Victory.

A particularly ironic situation for a candidate peddling the narrative of election rigging and voter fraud however there is a substantial possibility (roughly 7.8%) that Trump loses the popular vote to Hillary Clinton but wins the Electoral College. Similarly to the 2000 election this could potentially trigger a lot of uncertainty over the outcome if certain states had election margins that were very narrow. If it occurred and was upheld it would become the 4th election in history in which the popular vote did not match the eventual winner and the 3rd in which the winner won in the Electoral College (the other being the election of 1824 in which John Quincy Adams won in the House of Representatives).

5. A Historic McMullin Victory.

This last result, while the most unlikely, would be the most historical. A little know independent candidate Evan McMullin has been running for President for the last two or three months boasting the credentials of experience in the CIA, the financial sector and as policy advisor to House Republicans. While receiving little to no national attention he has been doing incredibly well in one particular state, Utah, where he has polled over Trump and within or near the margin of error several times. This is largely due to McMullin’s appeal as an anti-Trump conservative Mormon, a demographic that makes up a large level of Utah voters as well as the fact that Trump lost several endorsements from Utah officials after the tapes surfaced. Anyway’s McMullin’s path to the Presidency is discussed much more in detail here, but would basically require McMullin to win Utah, and for that to cause an electoral deadlock. Currently the odds of the former are about 23.9% and the latter being 0.3%. However, if both those occurred then the election would be decided by the House of Representatives between Clinton, Trump and McMullin, a three-way race which given the unfavourability of both the candidates, is not hard to imagine ending in McMullin’s favor.

(Final Note: A few options were only included for a single candidate. This was due to both writing constraints and that while a Clinton blowout is quite probably a Trump blowout has less than 1% chance of occurring and vice versa for Clinton winning the popular vote but losing in the Electoral College.)

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

69593
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

44389
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

970724
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments