Absent From the Vote

By The Numbers

We also computed some totals using corresponding time periods in each election.

For the 2016 election, we looked at votes in the last year and votes in the year before that, so that you can see how the candidates voted before their run for president and during this last year of their campaigning. For the 2008 election, we looked at the corresponding one-year time period ending, like today, 268 days ahead of the election, plus the one-year time period before that for comparison.

Because Clinton was only serving in Congress simultaneously during her 2008 campaign, she is listed among the 2008 candidates.

Candidate	Eligible	Missed	% Missed	Percentile
2016 election candidates / votes from Feb 15, 2015 to Feb 14, 2016
Sen. Rubio [R-FL]	306	118	39%	100
Sen. Cruz [R-TX]	306	100	33%	99
Sen. Graham [R-SC]	306	98	32%	98
Sen. Sanders [I-VT]	306	50	16%	96
Sen. Paul [R-KY]	306	23	8%	93
Senate Median			1%	50
2016 election candidates / votes from Feb 14, 2014 to Feb 14, 2015
Sen. Rubio [R-FL]	387	54	14%	95
Sen. Sanders [I-VT]	387	40	10%	90
Sen. Graham [R-SC]	387	35	9%	87
Sen. Cruz [R-TX]	387	29	8%	82
Senate Median			2%	50
Sen. Paul [R-KY]	387	2	1%	28
2008 election candidates / votes from Feb 11, 2007 to Feb 10, 2008
Rep. Paul [R-TX14]	1136	345	30%	98
House Median			3%	50
Sen. McCain [R-AZ]	409	254	62%	99
Sen. Obama [D-IL]	409	174	43%	98
Sen. Biden [D-DE]	409	166	41%	97
Sen. Clinton [D-NY]	409	110	27%	94
Senate Median			2%	50
2008 election candidates / votes from Feb 10, 2006 to Feb 10, 2007
Rep. Paul [R-TX14]	628	66	11%	93
House Median			2%	50
Sen. Biden [D-DE]	311	43	14%	98
Sen. McCain [R-AZ]	311	28	9%	95
Sen. Clinton [D-NY]	311	6	2%	54
Senate Median			2%	50
Sen. Obama [D-IL]	311	3	1%	34

Additional Notes

The data points in the time series chart are based on a sliding window with a normal distribution weighting (SD=14 days).

“House Median” / “Senate Median” is the median missed vote percent looking at all 435 representatives and 100 senators (respectively) during the indicated time period.

“Percentile” is the candidate’s percentile comparing their missed vote percent to all other representatives and senators in the same chamber during the same time period.

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