# 2016 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary

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The 2016 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary was held on April 5 in the U.S. state of Wisconsin as one of the Democratic Party's primaries ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Vermont senator Bernie Sanders won the contest with 56.5%, distancing nationwide frontrunner Hillary Clinton by 13 percentage points.
The Wisconsin Republican primary, held on the same day in conjunction with the Democratic primary, yielded a win for Ted Cruz, who distanced nationwide frontrunner Donald Trump by 13%. With no other primaries being scheduled for that day by either party and just two weeks ahead of the important New York primary, the Wisconsin primary was in the national spotlight.
The two parties' primaries were held in conjunction with this year's Wisconsin judicial elections, where Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Rebecca Bradley was confirmed for a 10-year elected term, winning over Appeals Court judge JoAnne Kloppenburg.
Wisconsin provided a friendly setting for Sanders's brand of economic populism. Liberals made up two-thirds of the majority-white primary electorate, and the economy, followed by income inequality, were of top concern to voters, according to exit polls.
Clinton lost Wisconsin by a narrow margin of 0.77% in the general election, against Republican nominee Donald Trump.

## Procedure
### State primary procedure

As Wisconsin held an open primary, residents could choose freely which party's primary they wished to participate in, when showing up at the polls on election day, regardless of their official registration with either party or none. Polling stations were opened between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Central Time.
The two parties' primaries were held in conjunction with this year's spring elections that included the election of the Wisconsin Supreme Court justice.

### Democratic nomination procedure

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin pledges only 86 out of 96 delegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention based on the popular vote at the primary election on the basis of proportional apportion. However, only the 18 at-large delegates and 10 pledged "Party Leaders and Elected Officials" (PLEOs) are apportioned according to the statewide vote, while the 57 district delegates are apportioned according to the vote within each of the state's eight congressional districts. The remaining ten Wisconsin delegates are unpledged "Party Leaders and Elected Officials" (PLEOs), or "Superdelegates", who may vote for whomever they wish at the party's upcoming National Convention.

## Candidates

While three candidates appeared on the Democratic primary ballot, only Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton actively campaigned for the Wisconsin contest, after Martin O'Malley had already suspended his campaign.

### Presidential debate in Milwaukee, February 2016

The Democratic Party held its sixth presidential debate on February 11, 2016 in Milwaukee, at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Moderated by PBS NewsHour anchors Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff, the debate aired on PBS and was simulcast by CNN. Participants were Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

### Opinion polling

| Poll source | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Other |
| Official Primary results | April 5, 2016 | Bernie Sanders 56.6% | Hillary Clinton 43.1% | | Others / Uncommitted 0.4% |
| ARG Margin of error: ± 5.0% Sample size: 400 | April 1–3, 2016 | Hillary Clinton 49% | Bernie Sanders 48% | | Others / Undecided 3% |
| Emerson Margin of error: ± 4.2% Sample size: 542 | March 30 – April 3, 2016 | Bernie Sanders 51% | Hillary Clinton 43% | | Others / Undecided 6% |
| CBS News/YouGov Margin of error: ± 3.7% Sample size: 653 | March 29 – April 1, 2016 | Bernie Sanders 49% | Hillary Clinton 47% | | Others / Undecided 4% |
| FOX Business Margin of error: ± 3.0% Sample size: 860 | March 28–30, 2016 | Bernie Sanders 48% | Hillary Clinton 43% | | Others / Undecided 10% |
| Loras College Margin of error: ± 4.8% Sample size: 416 | March 28–29, 2016 | Hillary Clinton 47% | Bernie Sanders 41% | | Others / Undecided 12% |
| Public Policy Polling Margin of error: ± 3.7% Sample size: 720 | March 28–29, 2016 | Bernie Sanders 49% | Hillary Clinton 43% | | Others / Undecided 8% |
| MULaw Poll Margin of error: ± 6.3% Sample size: 405 | March 24–28, 2016 | Bernie Sanders 49% | Hillary Clinton 45% | | Others / Undecided 6% |
| Emerson College Margin of error: ± 4.6% Sample size: 439 | March 20–22, 2016 | Hillary Clinton 50% | Bernie Sanders 44% | | Others / Undecided 6% |
| MULaw Poll Margin of error: ± 6.9% Sample size: 343 | February 18–21, 2016 | Bernie Sanders 44% | Hillary Clinton 43% | | Others / Undecided 13% |
| MULaw Poll Margin of error: ± 6.5% Sample size: 312 | January 21–24, 2016 | Hillary Clinton 45% | Bernie Sanders 43% | Martin O'Malley 1% | Not Reported |
| Poll source | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Other |
| Marquette Law School Margin of error: ± 6.1% Sample size: 374 | November 12–15, 2015 | Hillary Clinton 50% | Bernie Sanders 41% | Martin O'Malley 2% | Undecided 7% |
| St. Norbert College Margin of error: ± 6% Sample size: ? | October 14–17, 2015 | Hillary Clinton 35% | Bernie Sanders 33% | Joe Biden 21% | Martin O'Malley 1%, Lincoln Chafee 0%, Jim Webb 0%, Not Sure 10% |
| St. Norbert College Margin of error: ± 6% Sample size: ? | October 14–17, 2015 | Hillary Clinton 47% | Bernie Sanders 42% | – | Martin O'Malley 1%, Lincoln Chafee 1%, Jim Webb <1%, Not Sure 7% |
| Marquette University Margin of error: ± 5.9% Sample size: 394 | September 24–28, 2015 | Hillary Clinton 42% | Bernie Sanders 30% | Joe Biden 17% | Martin O'Malley 1%, Lincoln Chafee 0%, Jim Webb 0% |
| Marquette University Margin of error: ± 6.1% Sample size: 396 | August 13–16, 2015 | Hillary Clinton 44% | Bernie Sanders 32% | Joe Biden 12% | Lincoln Chafee 1%, Martin O'Malley 1%, Jim Webb 1% |
| Marquette University Margin of error: ± 5.1% Sample size: 391 | April 7–10, 2015 | Hillary Clinton 58.2% | Elizabeth Warren 14.3% | Joe Biden 12% | Martin O'Malley 0.9%, Jim Webb 0.9%, Someone else 3.7%, Don't know 8.9% |
| Public Policy Polling Margin of error: ± 4.4% Sample size: 504 | March 6–8, 2015 | Hillary Clinton 60% | Joe Biden 14% | Elizabeth Warren 12% | Bernie Sanders 5%, Martin O'Malley 1%, Jim Webb 1%, Other/Undecided 7% |
| Poll source | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Other |
| Public Policy Polling Margin of error: ± 4.1% Sample size: 579 | April 17–20, 2014 | Hillary Clinton 57% | Russ Feingold 19% | Joe Biden 8% | Elizabeth Warren 5%, Cory Booker 1%, Andrew Cuomo 1%, Mark Warner 1%, Kirsten Gillibrand 0%, Martin O'Malley 0%, Someone else/Not sure 8% |
| Poll source | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Other |
| Marquette University Margin of error: ± 5% Sample size: 392 | October 21–27, 2013 | Hillary Clinton 64% | Elizabeth Warren 10.8% | Joe Biden 10.6% | Andrew Cuomo 1.9%, Martin O'Malley 0.8%, Someone else 2.1%, Don't know 9.2% |
| Public Policy Polling Margin of error: ± 4.6% Sample size: 449 | September 13–16, 2013 | Hillary Clinton 50% | Russ Feingold 20% | Joe Biden 11% | Elizabeth Warren 4%, Cory Booker 3%, Andrew Cuomo 2%, Kirsten Gillibrand 0%, Martin O'Malley 0%, Mark Warner 0%, Someone else/Not sure 9% |
| Marquette University Margin of error: ± 5.5% Sample size: 333 | May 6–9, 2013 | Hillary Clinton 61.5% | Joe Biden 13% | Elizabeth Warren 4.8% | Andrew Cuomo 4.2%, Deval Patrick 1.5%, Martin O'Malley 1.1%, Mark Warner 0.7%, Someone else 1.5%, Don't Know 11% |
| Public Policy Polling Margin of error: Sample size: | February 21–24, 2013 | Hillary Clinton 50% | Russ Feingold 25% | Joe Biden 11% | Andrew Cuomo 3%, Elizabeth Warren 2%, Martin O'Malley 1%, Deval Patrick 1%, Brian Schweitzer 0%, Mark Warner 0%, Someone Else/Undecided 8% |
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## Results

Wisconsin Democratic primary, April 5, 2016 :
| Candidate | Popular vote | Popular vote | Estimated delegates | Estimated delegates | Estimated delegates |
| Candidate | Count | Percentage | Pledged | Unpledged | Total |
| Bernie Sanders | 570,192 | 56.59% | 48 | 1 | 49 |
| Hillary Clinton | 433,739 | 43.05% | 38 | 9 | 47 |
| Martin O'Malley (withdrawn) | 1,732 | 0.17% | | | |
| Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente (write-in) | 18 | 0.00% | | | |
| Scattering | 431 | 0.04% | | | |
| Uncommitted | 1,488 | 0.15% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 1,007,600 | 100% | 86 | 10 | 96 |
| Source: ||||||

### Results by county

| County | Clinton | % | Sanders | % |
| Adams | 1,375 | 47.22% | 1,515 | 52.03% |
| Ashland | 1,248 | 36.00% | 2,204 | 63.57% |
| Barron | 5,572 | 46.11% | 2,965 | 53.16% |
| Bayfield | 1,488 | 36.09% | 2,619 | 63.52% |
| Brown | 16,701 | 42.40% | 22,559 | 57.27% |
| Buffalo | 825 | 41.46% | 1,149 | 57.74% |
| Burnett | 918 | 49.04% | 936 | 50.00% |
| Calumet | 3,028 | 42.86% | 4,017 | 56.86% |
| Chippewa | 4,022 | 43.77% | 5,127 | 55.79% |
| Clark | 1,473 | 42.67% | 1,969 | 57.04% |
| Columbia | 4,187 | 39.21% | 6,460 | 60.49% |
| Crawford | 1,146 | 41.61% | 1,592 | 57.81% |
| Dane | 61,405 | 37.27% | 102,986 | 62.51% |
| Dodge | 4,505 | 41.75% | 6,249 | 57.91% |
| Door | 2,943 | 46.06% | 3,426 | 53.62% |
| Douglas | 3,577 | 43.82% | 4,512 | 55.27% |
| Dunn | 2,421 | 35.95% | 4,279 | 63.54% |
| Eau Claire | 7,689 | 35.88% | 13,674 | 63.81% |
| Florence | 175 | 36.92% | 293 | 61.81% |
| Fond du Lac | 5,519 | 42.65% | 7,385 | 57.07% |
| Forest | 610 | 47.25% | 667 | 51.67% |
| Grant | 3,068 | 40.37% | 4,491 | 59.10% |
| Green | 2,766 | 38.59% | 4,368 | 60.95% |
| Green Lake | 871 | 42.89% | 1,148 | 56.52% |
| Iowa | 2,164 | 40.14% | 3,202 | 59.40% |
| Iron | 437 | 42.93% | 563 | 55.30% |
| Jackson | 1,294 | 40.64 | 1,872 | 58.79% |
| Jefferson | 4,775 | 38.60% | 7,555 | 61.07% |
| Juneau | 1,355 | 42.21% | 1,839 | 57.29% |
| Kenosha | 10,897 | 42.49% | 14,653 | 57.13% |
| Kewaunee | 1,497 | 47.06% | 1,667 | 52.40% |
| La Crosse | 8,908 | 36.93% | 15,156 | 62.84% |
| Lafayette | 1,170 | 46.37% | 1,331 | 52.75% |
| Langlade | 1,192 | 44.83% | 1,447 | 54.42% |
| Lincoln | 1,732 | 41.33% | 2,442 | 58.27% |
| Manitowoc | 4,999 | 43.37% | 6,458 | 56.03% |
| Marathon | 8,061 | 40.66% | 11,673 | 58.87% |
| Marinette | 2,580 | 48.59% | 2,698 | 50.81% |
| Marquette | 994 | 42.62% | 1,321 | 56.56% |
| Menominee | 204 | 36.36% | 355 | 63.28% |
| Milwaukee | 100,798 | 51.68% | 93,688 | 48.02% |
| Monroe | 2,269 | 38.86% | 3,539 | 60.61% |
| Oconto | 2,422 | 47.99% | 2,590 | 51.32% |
| Oneida | 2,500 | 39.40% | 3,813 | 60.09% |
| Outagamie | 11,228 | 39.62% | 17,021 | 60.07% |
| Ozaukee | 6,587 | 48.75% | 6,897 | 51.04% |
| Pepin | 435 | 43.54% | 561 | 56.16% |
| Pierce | 2,343 | 41.82% | 3,208 | 57.27% |
| Polk | 2,165 | 46.21% | 2,476 | 52.85% |
| Portage | 5,088 | 35.08% | 9,351 | 64.46% |
| Price | 862 | 37.56% | 1,418 | 61.79% |
| Racine | 14,111 | 48.84% | 14,681 | 50.82% |
| Richland | 1,276 | 41.55% | 1,786 | 58.16% |
| Rock | 11,262 | 39.20% | 17,360 | 60.42% |
| Rusk | 816 | 42.52% | 1,092 | 56.90% |
| St. Croix | 4,895 | 45.90% | 5,679 | 53.25% |
| Sauk | 4,527 | 38.48% | 7,203 | 61.22% |
| Sawyer | 976 | 36.86% | 1,654 | 62.46% |
| Shawano | 2,117 | 41.19% | 3,303 | 58.44% |
| Sheboygan | 7,145 | 44.13% | 8,952 | 55.30% |
| Taylor | 852 | 39.68% | 1,279 | 59.57% |
| Trempealeau | 1,989 | 44.76% | 2,430 | 54.68% |
| Vernon | 1,936 | 35.60% | 3,481 | 64.01% |
| Vilas | 1,414 | 36.36% | 2,147 | 60.09% |
| Walworth | 5,188 | 37.96% | 8,426 | 61.65% |
| Washburn | 1,058 | 42.32% | 1,419 | 56.76% |
| Washington | 6,388 | 45.24% | 7,690 | 54.46% |
| Waukesha | 24,835 | 48.28% | 26,442 | 51.40% |
| Waupaca | 2,585 | 39.68% | 3,894 | 59.77% |
| Waushara | 1,241 | 43.45% | 1,600 | 56.02% |
| Winnebago | 11,212 | 38.44% | 17,854 | 61.22% |
| Wood | 4,428 | 39.46% | 6,756 | 60.20% |
| Total | 433,739 | 43.05% | 570,192 | 56.59% |

### Detailed results per congressional district
## Analysis

Bernie Sanders scored a large victory in Wisconsin, a largely liberal and big manufacturing state. He was bolstered by a 73-26 showing among younger voters, a 64-35 showing among men, a 72-28 showing among self-identified Independents, and a 59-40 showing among white voters who comprised 83% of the electorate in the Cheese State. Sanders also won women 50–49, but lost African American voters to Clinton, 69–31. Sanders swept all income and educational attainment levels in Wisconsin.
Sanders won unions 54–46, a key demographic in the industrial Rust Belt.
Sanders swept all counties in Wisconsin but one. He was victorious in the southeast 55–45, in the southwest 62–38, and in rural northeastern and northwestern Wisconsin 57–42. He carried the major cities of Madison, which has a younger electorate, as well as Eau Claire, Green Bay, Oshkosh, and Kenosha. Clinton won in Milwaukee 51–48, likely thanks to her ardent African-American support.