1996 United States presidential election in New Hampshire

The 1996 United States presidential election in New Hampshire took place on November 5, 1996, as part of the 1996 United States presidential election. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Although traditionally a Republican state, 1996 would mark the second presidential election in a row that New Hampshire was won by Democrat Bill Clinton, by then the incumbent president. Clinton took 49.32% of the popular vote over Republican challenger Bob Dole, who took 39.37%, a victory margin of 9.95%. Reform Party candidate Ross Perot finished in third, with 9.69% of the popular vote.^[1]

Clinton's nearly 10-point victory in New Hampshire was much more convincing than his previous win in the state in 1992; that year he had only eked out a narrow plurality of 39% over George H. W. Bush's 38%, with Ross Perot taking nearly 23% of the vote. For a state that had voted over 60% Republican as recently as 1988, Clinton's victories represented a dramatic shift toward the Democratic Party in New Hampshire. Since then the state has voted Democratic in every presidential election, except in 2000, when George W. Bush eked out a narrow plurality win over Al Gore.

Primaries

The New Hampshire Secretary of State set the primary for February 20, 1996, in accordance with state law requiring the primary to be held at least one week before another state's primary. However, Delaware held its primary in February 24, but New Hampshire declined to alter its date. Most of the major Republican presidential candidates and President Bill Clinton did not appear on the Delaware ballot.^[2]

Steve Forbes spent $3 million in New Hampshire.^[3]

74% of registered Republicans and 45% of registered Democrats participated in the primaries. 45 candidates filed to appear on the primary ballot.^[2]

Pat Buchanan and Clinton won the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries. Harry Browne won the Libertarian presidential primary against Irwin Schiff and write-in candidates.^[4]

Colin Powell, who was not a candidate, won the Republican vice-presidential primary as a write-in. Al Gore won the Democratic vice-presidential primary. Schiff won the vice-presidential primary as a write-in.^[3]^[5]

Results

1996 United States presidential election in New Hampshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
	Democratic	Bill Clinton (incumbent)	246,214	49.32%	4
	Republican	Bob Dole	196,532	39.37%	0
	Reform	Ross Perot	48,390	9.69%	0
	Libertarian	Harry Browne	4,237	0.85%	0
	N/A	Write-ins	2,456	0.49%	0
	NH Taxpayer	Howard Phillips (write-in)	1,346	0.27%	0
Totals			499,175	100.0%	4

Results by county

County	Bill Clinton^[6] Democratic		Bob Dole^[6] Republican		Ross Perot^[6] Reform		Harry Browne^[6] Libertarian		Various candidates^[6] Other parties		Margin		Total votes cast
County	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	Total votes cast
Belknap	10,345	43.81%	10,685	45.24%	2,297	9.73%	153	0.65%	136	0.58%	-340	-1.43%	23,616
Carroll	8,881	42.77%	9,168	44.16%	2,445	11.78%	131	0.63%	138	0.66%	-287	-1.39%	20,763
Cheshire	16,159	54.41%	10,252	34.52%	2,777	9.35%	199	0.67%	314	1.06%	5,907	19.89%	29,701
Coös	7,191	50.87%	4,703	33.27%	2,085	14.75%	83	0.59%	75	0.53%	2,488	17.60%	14,137
Grafton	19,496	52.99%	13,543	36.81%	3,237	8.80%	244	0.66%	272	0.74%	5,953	16.18%	36,792
Hillsborough	71,282	48.61%	59,441	40.54%	13,411	9.15%	1,374	0.94%	1,127	0.77%	11,841	8.07%	146,635
Merrimack	29,381	52.28%	21,231	37.78%	4,814	8.57%	428	0.76%	346	0.62%	8,150	14.50%	56,200
Rockingham	53,644	47.37%	46,201	40.80%	11,433	10.10%	1,121	0.99%	849	0.75%	7,443	6.57%	113,248
Strafford	23,475	54.79%	14,484	33.81%	4,088	9.54%	397	0.93%	399	0.93%	8,991	20.98%	42,843
Sullivan	8,380	48.55%	6,824	39.54%	1,803	10.45%	107	0.62%	146	0.85%	1,556	9.01%	17,260
Totals	246,214	49.32%	196,532	39.37%	48,390	9.69%	4,237	0.85%	3,802	0.76%	49,682	9.95%	499,175

Counties flipped from Republican to Democratic

References

^ "1996 Presidential General Election Results". U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
^ ^a ^b Ladd 1997, p. xiii.
^ ^a ^b Ladd 1997, p. xvi.
^ Ladd 1997, p. 183-186.
^ Ladd 1997, p. 185-186.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Our Campaigns; NH US President Race, November 05, 1996

Works cited

Ladd, Karen (1997). State of New Hampshire Manual for the General Court. New Hampshire Department of State.

[1] "1996 Presidential General Election Results". U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved January 29, 2013.

[FOOTNOTELadd1997xiii-2] Ladd 1997, p. xiii.

[FOOTNOTELadd1997xvi-3] Ladd 1997, p. xvi.

[FOOTNOTELadd1997183-186-4] Ladd 1997, p. 183-186.

[FOOTNOTELadd1997185-186-5] Ladd 1997, p. 185-186.

[Our-6] Our Campaigns; NH US President Race, November 05, 1996

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