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.

1996 United States presidential election in New Hampshire

← 1992 November 5, 1996 2000 →
 
Nominee Bill Clinton Bob Dole Ross Perot
Party Democratic Republican Reform
Home state Arkansas Kansas Texas
Running mate Al Gore Jack Kemp Pat Choate
Electoral vote 4 0 0
Popular vote 246,214 196,532 48,390
Percentage 49.32% 39.37% 9.69%


President before election

Bill Clinton
Democratic

Elected President

Bill Clinton
Democratic

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

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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

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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

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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
# % # % # % # % # % # %
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

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "1996 Presidential General Election Results". U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Ladd 1997, p. xiii.
  3. ^ a b Ladd 1997, p. xvi.
  4. ^ Ladd 1997, p. 183-186.
  5. ^ Ladd 1997, p. 185-186.
  6. ^ a b c d e Our Campaigns; NH US President Race, November 05, 1996

Works cited

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