2016 New Hampshire Democratic primary

The 2016 New Hampshire Democratic primary was a Democratic presidential nominating contest held on February 9, 2016, in New Hampshire as part of the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries. It was the second contest in the Democratic nomination calendar after the Iowa caucuses and was notable for setting early momentum for candidates competing for the party’s nomination. Bernie Sanders won the primary, while Hillary Clinton remained a primary frontrunner heading into subsequent states.

Background

New Hampshire has historically played an outsized role in modern U.S. presidential nominations, often attracting intense national attention early in the election cycle. The 2016 primary occurred during a period in which the Democratic field featured Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O'Malley, and Lincoln Chafee, among others. The contest followed Iowa’s caucuses, where Sanders had won, and it helped shape expectations for the remainder of the primary season.

The primary was organized by New Hampshire’s election authorities and conducted under state election laws applicable to presidential primaries. Like other early contests, it was widely covered by national media and became a proxy for broader debates within the Democratic Party, including views on economic policy, healthcare, and the role of labor organizations.

Results and vote distribution

Sanders secured a plurality of the vote in New Hampshire, reinforcing the strength he had shown in Iowa. Clinton, who had prevailed in several contests later in the cycle, continued to compete strongly for delegate support and remained central to the nomination narrative at that stage of the campaign. Voters in New Hampshire generally reflected the state’s mix of independent-leaning demographics and Democratic participation early in the process.

The primary awarded delegates to candidates based on the Democratic Party’s rules for proportional representation. Because New Hampshire was an early contest, the distribution of delegates and media coverage influenced fundraising and campaign strategies in later states. The outcome contributed to the evolving head-to-head dynamics between Sanders and Clinton, including how each candidate positioned themselves heading into larger contests such as South Carolina Democratic primary and the contests that followed on the calendar.

Campaign context and major issues

Throughout the campaign, Sanders emphasized themes such as income inequality, campaign finance reform, and universal or expanded access to healthcare. Clinton’s campaign emphasized continuity in policy experience and a broad coalition approach. Coverage of the New Hampshire primary frequently highlighted contrasts between the candidates’ policy priorities and the style of their campaigns, including their approaches to organizing supporters and communicating with undecided Democratic voters.

The contest also benefited from the attention given to early primary debates and the role of national surrogates and party activists. The candidates’ performances in New Hampshire were interpreted through the lens of party unity, momentum, and the ability to translate votes into delegates under the Democratic nomination rules.

Aftermath and significance

The 2016 New Hampshire Democratic primary is often cited as an early indicator of Sanders’ capacity to convert voter enthusiasm into delegate gains, despite Clinton’s broader establishment support. Sanders’ win helped sustain momentum that would carry through subsequent contests in the early primary phase, while Clinton’s campaign worked to maintain viability in the nomination fight.

Later in the season, the nomination process culminated in the selection of the Democratic nominee for the general election. The Democratic primaries ultimately determined the nominee who would represent the party in the 2016 presidential election, in which Donald Trump became the Republican nominee and went on to win the presidency. The New Hampshire result therefore occupies a significant place in the timeline of the 2016 election cycle.

See also

• 2016 Iowa Democratic caucuses
• 2016 Nevada Democratic presidential caucuses
• 2016 South Carolina Democratic primary
• Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign
• 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries

Categories: 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, New Hampshire elections, 2016 elections in the United States