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\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|}
\hline Candidate & Party & Electoral Votes & Popular Votes \\
\hline Donald Trump & Republican & 304 & [tex]$62,984,828$[/tex] \\
\hline Hillary Clinton & Democratic & 227 & [tex]$65,853,514$[/tex] \\
\hline Gary Johnson & Libertarian & 0 & [tex]$4,489,341$[/tex] \\
\hline Jill Stein & Green & 0 & [tex]$1,457,218$[/tex] \\
\hline Evan McMullin & Independent & 0 & 731,991 \\
\hline Other & & 7 & \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

In reference to the table, which of the following best explains the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election?

Select one:
a. Clinton won both the popular vote and the electoral vote and thus won the presidency
b. Trump won both the popular vote and the electoral vote and thus won the presidency
c. Clinton won the popular vote, but Trump won the electoral vote and thus won the presidency
d. Third-party candidates played a significant role in determining the outcome



Answer :

GinnyAnswer
To determine the correct answer, we need to analyze the information provided in the table:

- Electoral Votes and Popular Votes are both provided for the candidates.

According to the data:

- Donald Trump (Republican) received 304 electoral votes and 62,984,828 popular votes.
- Hillary Clinton (Democratic) received 227 electoral votes and 65,853,514 popular votes.
- Gary Johnson (Libertarian) received 0 electoral votes and 4,489,341 popular votes.
- Jill Stein (Green) received 0 electoral votes and 1,457,218 popular votes.
- Evan McMullin (Independent) received 0 electoral votes and 731,991 popular votes.
- Other received 7 electoral votes.

For clarity, in the United States Presidential Election, the winner is determined by the number of electoral votes each candidate receives, not directly by the popular vote. A candidate needs a majority of the 538 electoral votes (at least 270 votes) to win the presidency.

Analyzing the data given:
- Donald Trump received 304 electoral votes, which is more than the required 270 votes to win.
- Hillary Clinton received 227 electoral votes, which is less than the required 270 votes.

Although Hillary Clinton won the popular vote with a higher total than Donald Trump (65,853,514 vs. 62,984,828), the presidency is decided by the electoral vote. Therefore, the candidate with the majority of electoral votes, Donald Trump, won the presidency.

Based on this analysis, the correct answer is:
c. Clinton won the popular vote, but Trump won the electoral vote and thus won the presidency

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