1996 United States gubernatorial elections

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| <- 1995 | November 5, 1996 | 1997 ->

|
|

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13 governorships
11 states; 2 territories
|  | Majority party  | Minority party

|
|

|  |
Party  | Republican | Democratic
Seats before  | 32[a] | 17
Seats after  | 32 | 17
Seat change  |  |
Seats up  | 4  | 7
Seats won  | 4  | 7

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Map of the results
Democratic gain Democratic hold
Republican gain Republican hold
New Progressive hold Nonpartisan
No election

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 5, 1996, in 11 states and two territories. Going into the elections, seven of the seats were held by Democrats and four by Republicans. Democrats picked up the open seat in New Hampshire, and Republicans picked up the open seat in West Virginia, for no net change in the partisan balance of power. These elections coincided with the presidential election.

## Election results

[edit]

### States

[edit]

State  | Incumbent  | Party  | First
elected  | Result  | Candidates

|
|
|
|
|

Delaware | Tom Carper | Democratic  | 1992 | Incumbent re-elected.  |

* Y Tom Carper (Democratic) 69.5%
* Janet Rzewnicki (Republican) 30.5%

Indiana | Evan Bayh | Democratic  | 1988 | Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.  |

* Y Frank O'Bannon (Democratic) 51.5%
* Stephen Goldsmith (Republican) 46.8%
* Steve Dillon (Libertarian) 1.7%

Missouri | Mel Carnahan | Democratic  | 1992 | Incumbent re-elected.  |

* Y Mel Carnahan (Democratic) 57.2%
* Margaret B. Kelly (Republican) 40.4%
* J. Mark Oglesby (Libertarian) 2.4%

Montana | Marc Racicot | Republican  | 1992 | Incumbent re-elected.  |

* Y Marc Racicot (Republican) 79.2%
* Judy Jacobson (Democratic) 20.8%

New Hampshire | Steve Merrill | Republican  | 1992 | Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.  |

* Y Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic) 57.2%
* Ovide Lamontagne (Republican) 39.5%

North Carolina | Jim Hunt | Democratic  | 1976
1984 (term-limited)
1992 | Incumbent re-elected.  |

* Y Jim Hunt (Democratic) 56.0%
* Robin Hayes (Republican) 42.8%

North Dakota | Ed Schafer | Republican  | 1992 | Incumbent re-elected.  |

* Y Ed Schafer (Republican) 66.2%
* Lee Kaldor (Democratic) 33.8%

Utah | Mike Leavitt | Republican  | 1992 | Incumbent re-elected.  |

* Y Mike Leavitt (Republican) 75.0%
* Jim Bradley (Democratic) 23.3%

Vermont | Howard Dean | Democratic  | 1991[b] | Incumbent re-elected.  |

* Y Howard Dean (Democratic) 70.5%
* John L. Gropper (Republican) 22.5%
* Mary Alice Herbert (Liberty Union) 1.6%
* Dennis Lane (Grassroots) 1.4%
* Bill Brunelle (Natural Law) 1.3%
* August St. John (Independent) 1.3%
* Neil Randall (Libertarian) 1.2%

Washington | Mike Lowry | Democratic  | 1992 | Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.  |

* Y Gary Locke (Democratic) 58.0%
* Ellen Craswell (Republican) 42.0%

West Virginia | Gaston Caperton | Democratic  | 1988 | Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.  |

* Y Cecil Underwood (Republican) 51.6%
* Charlotte Pritt (Democratic) 45.8%
* Wallace Johnson (Libertarian) 2.6%

### Territories

[edit]

Territory  | Incumbent  | Party  | First
elected  | Result  | Candidates

|
|
|
|
|

American Samoa | A. P. Lutali | Democratic  | 1992  | Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.[1]
Democratic hold.  |

* Y Tauese Sunia (Democratic) 51.0%
* L. Peter Reid (Independent) 49.0%

Puerto Rico | Pedro Rosselló | New Progressive  | 1992 | Incumbent re-elected.  |

* Y Pedro Rosselló (PNP) 51.4%
* Héctor Luis Acevedo (PPD) 44.7%
* David Noriega Rodríguez (PIP) 3.8%

## Closest races

[edit]

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

1. American Samoa, 2.0%
2. Indiana, 4.7%

States where the margin of victory was under 10%:

1. West Virginia, 5.8%
2. Puerto Rico, 6.7%

## See also

[edit]

* 1996 United States elections
* 1996 United States presidential election
* 1996 United States Senate elections
* 1996 United States House of Representatives elections

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Mike Huckabee (R) succeeded Arkansas Governor Jim Guy Tucker (D) after the latter resigned due to convictions for one count of conspiracy and one count of mail fraud.
2. ^ Dean took office after his predecessor (Richard Snelling) died. He was subsequently elected in the 1992 Vermont gubernatorial election.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "AS Governor Race - Dec 05, 1996". Our Campaigns. July 30, 2008.

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(1995<-)  1996 United States elections (->1997)

President|

* 1996 United States presidential election

U.S. Senate|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arkansas
* Colorado
* Delaware
* District of Columbia (shadow)
* Georgia
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kansas (special)
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Montana
* Nebraska
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* North Carolina
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Oregon (special)
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Virginia
* West Virginia
* Wyoming

U.S. House|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* American Samoa
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* District of Columbia
* delegate
* shadow
* Florida
* Georgia
* Guam
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
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* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
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* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Puerto Rico
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* United States Virgin Islands
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Governors|

* American Samoa
* Delaware
* Indiana
* Missouri
* Lt. Gov
* Montana
* New Hampshire
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* Lt. Gov
* North Dakota
* Puerto Rico
* Utah
* Vermont
* Washington
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State
legislatures|

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* Senate
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* Assembly
* Senate
* Iowa
* Senate
* Kentucky
* Senate
* Minnesota
* House
* Senate
* Texas
* House
* Wisconsin
* Senate
* Assembly

Mayors|

* Baton Rouge, LA
* Fresno, CA
* Milwaukee, WI
* Orlando, FL
* Portland, OR
* San Diego, CA
* San Juan, PR

States|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* American Samoa
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
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* Florida
* Georgia
* Guam
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
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* Minnesota
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* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Puerto Rico
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* United States Virgin Islands
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

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