A Country Divided by Education, Rural and Urban: An Analytical Look at Election Day by the Numbers

By Mark A. Leon

To say there were extreme swings in voter sentiment based on educational background, rural and urban facets, and perspectives on foreign residents would be a gross understatement.

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by a small margin on Tuesday and a number of states saw a 1% – 2% overall margin, but the close separation between the two presidential candidates stopped there.  The real story of the election was how the country voted based on education, geography and ethnicity.  This is a telling story.

Popular Vote:

Hillary Clinton:  60,467,601
Donald Trump:  60,072, 551
Margin:  395,050 (.0033%)

After the dust settled, nearly 2.3 billion dollars was spent in a mug slinging brawl between the two candidates in the media, social media and in the debate halls.  Looking at the numbers, was the spending necessary?  The voters that don’t frequent urban sectors, rarely find their way to a television camera or see the spotlight were not a focal point in preliminary election polling.  Their voice wasn’t heard in the media airwaves, but sent shivers down the spine of a country on Election Day.

A statement was made on Tuesday.  A grand statement of deafening proportions and one that could change history and politics forever.

Over the next few weeks, extreme views will be shared including a Change.org petition to ask the Electoral College to dismiss the results and vote in Hillary on December 19th.  From images of the Ku Klux Klan to violent protests around the country, this is a country still divided days after the final vote was tallied and the imagery being shared is sending extreme emotions into most American and global households.

Look closely on how divided this nation was and some realizations may come to light about where we stand as a country:

Counties won with at least 45% or more of the population African American

Hillary Clinton:  85%
Donald Trump: 15%

Counties with 30% or more of the population foreign born

Hillary Clinton: 71.4%
Donald Trump: 28.6%

Counties where less than 505 of the population is white

Hillary Clinton: 83.8%
Donald Trump: 16.2%

Counties with populations 10,000 or less

Hillary Clinton: 6.3%
Donald Trump: 93.7%

Counties where less than 20% of adults have bachelor’s degrees

Hillary Clinton: 7.8%
Donald Trump: 92.2%

Counties where the median household income is less than $50,000

Hillary Clinton: 11.5%
Donald Trump: 88.5%

Counties where there is less than 5% of the population foreign born

Hillary Clinton: 8.1%
Donald Trump: 91.9%

Counties where at least 50% of adults have bachelor’s degrees

Hillary Clinton: 79.1%
Donald Trump 20.9%

Rural Counties

Hillary Clinton: 9.5%
Donald Trump: 90.5%

These are jaw dropping numbers about rural and urban decisiveness, education and views on foreign residents and immigration.  It also tells a story about where the United States stands.  We proclaim in the documentation of our forefathers that we are a nation united with the same freedoms for all.  These votes are clearly telling a different reality.

In any election, questions will arise and the call for reform will be expressed.  Should we eliminate the Electoral College?  Should we look more closely at the two party system? Are all represented citizens truly being represented?  Is our national government broken?

As American’s we have that right to petition and organize and should continue to share and be heard.  In the course of human history, it is evident that things will change.  Whether for the better or worse, time will tell.