Nevada voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee, businessman Donald Trump (and his running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence), against the Democratic Party's nominee, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (and her running mate Virginia Senator Tim Kaine).

The delegate selection process is a system with three levels: A majority of participants at the February caucuses supported Hillary Clinton.

Participants were the candidates Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Jim Webb, Martin O'Malley, and Lincoln Chafee.

Supports of Senator Sanders were angered when Party officials declined to accept the credentials of close to 60 pro-Sanders delegates.

[8] Despite charges by Sanders supporters that the convention was rigged against their candidate, according to Jon Ralston,[7] "the facts reveal that the Sanders folks disregarded rules, then when shown the truth, attacked organizers and party officials as tools of a conspiracy to defraud the senator of what was never rightfully his in the first place.

"[7][9] After Sanders campaign Chair Jeff Weaver repeated assertions of process-rigging by Democratic Party officials, Politifact examined the evidence and concluded that, while the Party's selection process was "arcane" and "incredibly confusing", the fact is that "Clinton’s supporters simply turned out (attended the Convention) in larger numbers and helped her solidify her delegate lead."

Delegates from Nevada to the Republican National Convention were allocated proportionally based on the caucus results.

From the first poll conducted in May 2016, and throughout the summer, the race was a complete tossup with neither Clinton nor Trump having a large lead.

[27] Hillary Clinton won the state over nationwide winner Donald Trump, marking the third presidential election in a row that Nevada has voted Democratic.