1996 United States presidential election in Michigan explained

Election Name:1996 United States presidential election in Michigan
Country:Michigan
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1992 United States presidential election in Michigan
Previous Year:1992
Next Election:2000 United States presidential election in Michigan
Next Year:2000
Votes For Election:All 18 Michigan votes to the Electoral College
Turnout:54.5% [1]
Election Date:November 5, 1996
Image1:Bill Clinton.jpg
Nominee1:Bill Clinton
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State1:Arkansas
Running Mate1:Al Gore
Electoral Vote1:18
Popular Vote1:1,989,653
Percentage1:51.69%
Nominee2:Bob Dole
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Home State2:Kansas
Running Mate2:Jack Kemp
Electoral Vote2:0
Popular Vote2:1,481,212
Percentage2:38.48%
Image3:RossPerotColor.jpg
Nominee3:Ross Perot
Party3:Reform Party of the United States of America
Home State3:Texas
Running Mate3:Pat Choate
Electoral Vote3:0
Popular Vote3:336,670
Percentage3:8.75%
Map Size:375px
President
Before Election:Bill Clinton
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Bill Clinton
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 1996 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November5, 1996. All 50 states and the District of Columbia participated in the 1996 United States presidential election. Voters chose 18 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president.

Michigan was won by incumbent United States president Bill Clinton of Arkansas, who was running against Kansas senator Bob Dole. Clinton ran a second time with former Tennessee senator Al Gore as Vice President, and Dole ran with former New York congressman Jack Kemp.[2]

Michigan weighed in for this election as 5% more Democratic than the national average. The presidential election of 1996 was a very multi-partisan election for Michigan, with nearly 10% of the electorate voting for third-party candidates. In typical form for the state, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan voted mainly Democratic, and the Lower Peninsula was divided, but more Republican—with the notable exception of Detroit's highly populated Wayne County, which voted overwhelmingly Democratic. In his second bid for the presidency, Ross Perot led the newly reformed Reform Party to gain over 8% of the votes in Michigan, and to pull in support nationally as the most popular third-party candidate to run for the United States presidency in recent times. This marked the first time since 1968 that the state voted Democratic in consecutive elections.

, this is the last election in which Houghton, Alcona, Cheboygan, Crawford, Dickinson, Kalkaska, Luce, Mackinac, Mecosta, Lapeer, Keweenaw, Montcalm, Tuscola, Branch, Baraga, Chippewa, Huron, Wexford, Osceola, Montmorency, and Oscoda Counties voted for a Democratic presidential candidate. This is also the last time all counties in the Upper Peninsula voted for a Democrat.[3]

The year 1996 marked a turning point for Michigan, as it would become the most Democratic-leaning of the three Rust Belt swing states (also consisting of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania), a status it has held since. Even though Michigan would vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. presidential election alongside Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, it was still the most Democratic-leaning of the three states. Michigan was also the most Democratic of the three in 2020.

Results

1996 United States presidential election in Michigan
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
DemocraticBill Clinton (incumbent)1,989,653 51.69%18
Republican1,481,21238.48%0
ReformRoss Perot336,6708.75%0
LibertarianHarry Browne27,6700.72%0
Natural LawDr. John Hagelin4,254 0.11%0
Workers World3,1530.08%0
GreenRalph Nader (write-in)2,322 0.06%0
Other write-ins2,316 0.06%0
Socialist EqualityJerome White1,554 0.04%0
Totals3,848,804100.00%18

Results by county

CountyBill Clinton
Democratic
Bob Dole
Republican
Ross Perot
Reform
Harry Browne
Libertarian
Various candidates
Other parties
MarginTotal votes cast[4]
%%%%%%
Alcona2,61947.15%2,22740.09%66912.04%320.58%80.14%3927.06%5,555
Alger2,22952.68%1,42933.77%53712.69%220.52%140.33%80018.91%4,231
Allegan14,36137.02%20,85953.77%3,2698.43%1840.47%1170.30%-6,498-16.75%38,790
Alpena7,11452.73%4,52533.54%1,73012.82%590.44%640.47%2,58919.19%13,492
Antrim4,22641.85%4,63045.85%1,12911.18%850.84%280.28%-404-4.00%10,098
Arenac3,47252.68%2,24734.09%84412.81%190.29%90.14%1,22518.59%6,591
Baraga1,60148.60%1,20936.70%46013.96%180.55%60.18%39211.90%3,294
Barry9,46740.95%11,13948.18%2,2829.87%1470.64%850.37%-1,672-7.23%23,120
Bay27,83556.12%16,03832.33%5,41010.91%1410.28%1790.36%11,79723.79%49,603
Benzie3,08145.41%2,85642.09%76311.25%590.87%260.38%2253.32%6,785
Berrien24,61441.51%28,25447.65%5,95810.05%2540.43%2150.36%-3,640-6.14%59,295
Branch6,56744.36%6,32142.70%1,77912.02%940.63%440.30%2461.66%14,805
Calhoun26,28750.12%20,95339.95%4,7659.09%2510.48%1870.36%5,33410.17%52,443
Cass8,20745.65%7,37341.01%2,24112.46%1070.60%520.29%8344.64%17,980
Charlevoix4,68942.64%4,86444.23%1,30311.85%950.86%450.41%-175-1.59%10,996
Cheboygan5,01846.32%4,24439.18%1,46213.50%850.78%240.22%7747.14%10,833
Chippewa6,53249.26%5,13738.74%1,45310.96%810.61%560.42%1,39510.52%13,259
Clare6,31154.02%3,74232.03%1,53113.10%640.55%350.30%2,56921.99%11,683
Clinton11,94541.76%13,69447.88%2,6989.43%1740.61%900.31%-1,749-6.12%28,601
Crawford2,66646.60%2,15737.70%84014.68%360.63%220.38%5098.90%5,721
Delta8,56153.01%5,92536.69%1,5439.55%760.47%450.28%2,63616.32%16,150
Dickinson5,61448.43%4,40838.03%1,47812.75%380.33%530.46%1,20610.40%11,591
Eaton19,78144.29%20,09244.98%4,3789.80%2540.57%1610.36%-311-0.69%44,666
Emmet4,89238.89%6,00247.71%1,51212.02%800.64%940.75%-1,110-8.82%12,580
Genesee106,06560.94%49,33228.34%17,67110.15%6330.36%3550.20%56,73332.60%174,056
Gladwin5,49451.38%3,67034.32%1,46613.71%380.36%240.22%1,82417.06%10,692
Gogebic4,43654.19%2,76933.83%91711.20%230.28%410.50%1,66720.36%8,186
Grand Traverse12,98738.97%16,35549.07%3,52710.58%2790.84%1810.54%-3,368-10.10%33,329
Gratiot6,79345.67%6,21441.77%1,76211.85%700.47%360.24%5793.90%14,875
Hillsdale5,95536.39%7,94748.56%2,26213.82%1540.94%480.29%-1,992-12.17%16,366
Houghton5,95743.57%5,94143.46%1,58411.59%1190.87%700.51%160.11%13,671
Huron6,82745.96%6,12641.24%1,81112.19%640.43%270.18%7014.72%14,855
Ingham63,58454.43%43,09636.89%8,6407.40%9480.81%5470.47%20,48817.54%116,815
Ionia9,26143.17%9,57444.63%2,35410.97%1980.92%650.30%-313-1.46%21,452
Iosco6,24050.23%4,41035.50%1,71013.76%350.28%290.23%1,83014.73%12,424
Iron3,23253.34%2,01433.24%75512.46%360.59%220.36%1,21820.10%6,059
Isabella9,63549.81%7,46038.57%2,06910.70%1170.60%610.32%2,17511.24%19,342
Jackson24,63343.79%24,98744.42%5,96810.61%5070.90%1610.29%-354-0.63%56,256
Kalamazoo45,64449.01%40,70343.70%5,8676.30%4790.51%4420.47%4,9415.31%93,135
Kalkaska2,66643.74%2,45540.28%92215.13%410.67%110.18%2113.46%6,095
Kent85,91238.46%121,33554.32%14,1206.32%1,1040.49%9080.41%-35,423-15.86%223,379
Keweenaw57246.05%49139.53%16913.61%40.32%60.48%816.52%1,242
Lake2,60659.31%1,21327.61%55212.56%120.27%110.25%1,39331.70%4,394
Lapeer14,30843.57%13,36940.71%4,79314.59%2820.86%890.27%9392.86%32,841
Leelanau4,01939.26%5,15550.36%9249.03%900.88%490.48%-1,136-11.10%10,237
Lenawee16,92447.51%14,16839.78%4,16711.70%2220.62%1380.39%2,7567.73%35,619
Livingston22,51737.38%30,59850.79%6,33710.52%6301.05%1600.27%-8,081-13.41%60,242
Luce1,10745.02%96439.20%36614.88%180.73%40.16%1435.82%2,459
Mackinac2,70046.86%2,28139.59%74212.88%220.38%170.30%4197.27%5,762
Macomb151,43049.48%120,61639.41%29,8599.76%3,4201.12%7030.23%30,81410.07%306,028
Manistee5,38351.08%3,80736.12%1,23011.67%800.76%390.37%1,57614.96%10,539
Marquette15,16856.69%8,80532.91%2,4929.31%1780.67%1150.43%6,36323.78%26,758
Mason5,59745.69%5,06641.35%1,52512.45%300.24%330.27%5314.34%12,251
Mecosta6,37048.54%5,28940.30%1,37310.46%400.30%520.40%1,0818.24%13,124
Menominee4,88047.92%4,03839.65%1,20511.83%400.39%210.21%8428.27%10,184
Midland15,17742.20%16,54746.01%3,96411.02%1680.47%1110.31%-1,370-3.81%35,967
Missaukee2,25637.44%3,01249.99%71911.93%310.51%70.12%-756-12.55%6,025
Monroe26,07249.63%19,67837.46%6,31512.02%2780.53%1860.35%6,39412.17%52,529
Montcalm10,05346.88%8,67940.47%2,53011.80%1320.62%520.24%1,3746.41%21,446
Montmorency2,12046.17%1,76038.33%68214.85%190.41%110.24%3607.84%4,592
Muskegon35,32855.69%21,87334.48%5,7949.13%2770.44%1660.26%13,45521.21%63,438
Newaygo7,61443.14%7,86844.58%2,04711.60%690.39%530.30%-254-1.44%17,651
Oakland241,88447.84%219,85543.48%36,7097.26%5,5081.09%1,6860.33%22,0294.36%505,642
Oceana4,41945.36%3,94740.52%1,28613.20%660.68%240.25%4724.84%9,742
Ogemaw4,72552.13%2,90432.04%1,36915.10%470.52%190.21%1,82120.09%9,064
Ontonagon2,08048.98%1,52335.86%60414.22%190.45%210.49%55713.12%4,247
Osceola4,08544.94%3,85542.41%1,06811.75%700.77%120.13%2302.53%9,090
Oscoda1,65244.35%1,54541.48%50313.50%170.46%80.21%1072.87%3,725
Otsego3,35140.28%3,63843.73%1,28015.38%290.35%220.26%-287-3.45%8,320
Ottawa27,02428.32%61,43664.39%6,2756.58%3370.35%3440.36%-34,412-36.07%95,416
Presque Isle3,44950.04%2,46335.74%93213.52%350.51%130.19%98614.30%6,892
Roscommon6,09251.48%4,13534.94%1,53913.00%460.39%220.19%1,95716.54%11,834
Saginaw47,57954.19%31,57735.97%8,0819.20%2520.29%3050.35%16,00218.22%87,794
Sanilac7,09240.96%7,82145.17%2,26513.08%1000.58%360.21%-729-4.21%17,314
Schoolcraft2,18756.50%1,20031.00%46011.88%90.23%150.39%98725.50%3,871
Shiawassee14,66248.27%11,71438.56%3,70312.19%2110.69%850.28%2,9489.71%30,375
St. Clair28,88148.04%22,49537.42%8,13413.53%4450.74%1630.27%6,38610.62%60,118
St. Joseph8,52941.02%9,76446.96%2,31911.15%1150.55%670.32%-1,235-5.94%20,794
Tuscola10,31445.55%9,15440.43%3,01313.31%1360.60%240.11%1,1605.12%22,641
Van Buren13,35547.74%11,34740.56%2,94610.53%2290.82%980.35%2,0087.18%27,975
Washtenaw73,10658.94%40,09732.33%8,0206.47%1,2771.03%1,5281.23%33,00926.61%124,028
Wayne504,46668.95%175,88624.04%43,5545.95%5,3010.72%2,3900.33%328,58044.91%731,597
Wexford5,51046.35%4,86640.93%1,38611.66%790.66%470.40%6445.42%11,888
Totals1,989,65351.69%1,481,21238.48%336,6708.75%27,6700.72%13,6390.35%508,44113.21%3,848,844

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SOS - General Election Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics.
  2. Web site: 1996 Presidential General Election Results – Michigan. Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. 2013-07-21.
  3. Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  4. Our Campaigns; MI US President 1996