Note that this has no bearing on the discussion of what the numbers mean, but I find interesting that the preliminary participation rate - 66,7% - is higher then any other election since suffrage was granted to women, native americans and african americans. In fact - and now we are comparing almost universal suffrage with a quite limited one - it is the highets participation rate since capital beat the populists in 1896 and 1900. Speaking of which, according to Thomas Frank 1896 was adjusted for inflation the highest spending election ever.

1896 being known as the election with the Cross of Gold speach and the last chance of bimetallism, it might be interesting to know that according to Late Vistorian Holocausts, the shifting to gold standard across the western world was important in undermining the economies of China and India (by making their silver currencies less vauable through the inflow of former bullion silver). Now, that had already happened in 1896, but Bryan wasn't wrong that gold standard was about "crucify mankind upon a cross of gold".

Of course, Bryan was an actual populist, while Trump only plays one on Twitter, so as I started with I don't have an actual point here.