Voter turnout for the 2016 presidential election was expected to shatter records with voter registration at an all-time high – but preliminary numbers suggest otherwise.

And that possible record-breaking turnout had even more asterisks for Hillary Clinton and the Democratic party when compared to past elections.

The US Elections Project estimates that 128.8 million Americans cast a ballot in 2016 from 231 million eligible voters — a turnout rate of 55.6 per cent.

But even with a record number of registered voters, the turnout was only a fraction of what President Barack Obama attracted.

In 2008, Obama and Republican opponent John McCain recorded the highest overall voter turnout in US history with 131 million voters and a turnout rate of 58 per cent, according to the American Presidency Project.

Over 129 million Americans cast a vote in 2012 when Obama trumped Mitt Romney.

However, those key demographics that turned out for President Obama didn’t turn out for Ms Clinton in Tuesday’s election.

Clinton’s collapse

If it was up to millennials Tuesday’s election would have had a dramatically different outcome. Photo: Getty

Early numbers show Ms Clinton failed to capture a number of key groups that helped Mr Obama claim the presidency in 2012, according to exit poll data.

African-Americans heeded the call four years ago as Obama locked away 93 per cent of the black vote to Romney’s 7 per cent, CNN reported.

That number dropped to 88 per cent for Clinton compared to 8 per cent for Trump.

Hispanics were expected to come out in droves for the Democratic candidate after Trump repeated offended the Latino population during his campaign.

But Ms Clinton’s support among the Hispanic community was tenuous with only 65 per cent of the vote to Mr Trump’s 29 per cent.

In 2012, 71 per cent of Latinos voted for Mr Obama.

Even when it came to women voters Clinton’s turnout was less than expected.

She received just 54 per cent of female votes compared to Trump’s 42 per cent. Obama won 55 per cent of the women’s vote in 2012.

Ms Clinton also failed to capture as many young voters as Mr Obama, winning 55 per cent to his 60 per cent of voters aged 18 to 29. Trump secured 37 per cent.

If Tuesday’s election was based on how millennials voted, however, it would have ended dramatically different with nearly a nationwide advantage to Clinton, according to Survey Monkey.

If it was up to millennials, Ms Clinton would have handsomely defeated Mr Trump. Photo: Survey Monkey