1996 United States presidential election in Kentucky

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1996 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Flag of Kentucky.svg
  1992 November 5, 1996 2000  
Turnout59.3% [1]
  Bill Clinton.jpg Ks 1996 dole (cropped).jpg RossPerotColor.jpg
Nominee Bill Clinton Bob Dole Ross Perot
Party Democratic Republican Reform
Home state Arkansas Kansas Texas
Running mate Al Gore Jack Kemp Patrick Choate
Electoral vote800
Popular vote636,614623,283120,396
Percentage45.84%44.88%8.67%

Kentucky Presidential Election Results 1996.svg
1996 United States presidential election in Kentucky election by Congressional District.svg

President before election

Bill Clinton
Democratic

Elected President

Bill Clinton
Democratic

The 1996 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 5, 1996, as part of the 1996 United States presidential election. Voters chose 8 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Contents

Kentucky was won by President Bill Clinton (D) over Senator Bob Dole (R-KS), with Clinton winning 45.84% to 44.88% by a slim margin of 0.96%, thus marking Kentucky the closest contest in the entire election. Billionaire businessman Ross Perot (Reform-TX) finished in third, with 8.67% of the popular vote. [2]

As of the 2024 presidential election , this is the last time that the Democratic nominee carried Kentucky, as well as any of these 36 counties: Powell, Montgomery, Nicholas, Lawrence, Bourbon, Nelson, Simpson, McCracken, Hopkins, Calloway, Graves, Greenup, Clark, Marshall, Meade, Bell, Logan, Ohio, Johnson, Marion, Harrison, Henry, Union, Trigg, Morgan, Webster, Caldwell, Martin, Carroll, McLean, Livingston, Trimble, Gallatin, Lyon, Carlisle, and Hickman.

Until this election a swing state, Kentucky has been carried by Republicans by double-digits in every subsequent election, and the party's margin of victory has almost exclusively increased in the 21st century.

Primaries

Results

1996 United States presidential election in Kentucky
PartyCandidateRunning mateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
Democratic Bill Clinton (incumbent) Al Gore (incumbent)636,61445.84%8
Republican Bob Dole Jack Kemp 623,28344.88%0
Reform Ross Perot Patrick Choate 120,3968.67%0
Libertarian Harry Browne Jo Jorgensen 4,0090.29%0
U.S. Taxpayers' Howard Phillips Herbert Titus 2,2040.16%0
Natural Law Dr. John Hagelin Dr. V. Tompkins 1,4930.11%0
Write-in Ralph Nader Winona LaDuke 7010.05%0
No party Write-in 80.00%0

Results by county

CountyBill Clinton [3]
Democratic
Bob Dole [3]
Republican
Ross Perot [3]
Reform
Various candidates [3]
Other parties
MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%#%#%
Adair 1,82127.85%3,87659.28%79012.08%510.78%-2,055-31.43%6,538
Allen 1,78134.05%3,03257.97%3937.51%240.46%-1,251-23.92%5,230
Anderson 2,89843.56%2,97244.67%75111.29%320.48%-74-1.11%6,653
Ballard 2,25560.26%1,06428.43%41110.98%120.32%1,19131.83%3,742
Barren 5,04442.59%5,70048.13%1,0658.99%350.30%-656-5.54%11,844
Bath 1,88652.83%1,22934.43%42811.99%270.76%65718.40%3,570
Bell 5,05850.54%3,91739.14%9409.39%930.93%1,14111.40%10,008
Boone 8,37932.72%15,08558.91%1,9007.42%2430.95%-6,706-26.19%25,607
Bourbon 3,03048.42%2,59241.42%6039.64%330.53%4387.00%6,258
Boyd 9,66851.17%7,05437.34%2,07010.96%1010.53%2,61413.83%18,893
Boyle 3,87744.15%4,15747.34%7098.07%390.44%-280-3.19%8,782
Bracken 1,05538.79%1,37150.40%2719.96%230.85%-316-11.61%2,720
Breathitt 3,10667.85%1,05823.11%3978.67%170.37%2,04844.74%4,578
Breckinridge 2,95643.49%3,15146.36%6709.86%200.29%-195-2.87%6,797
Bullitt 7,65141.59%8,69747.28%1,97310.73%740.40%-1,046-5.69%18,395
Butler 1,26030.37%2,53161.00%3488.39%100.24%-1,271-30.63%4,149
Caldwell 2,43447.22%2,06740.10%63712.36%170.33%3677.12%5,155
Calloway 5,28145.66%4,98943.14%1,22310.57%730.63%2922.52%11,566
Campbell 11,95738.30%16,64053.31%2,3127.41%3070.98%-4,683-15.01%31,216
Carlisle 1,35555.83%81633.62%24510.09%110.45%53922.21%2,427
Carroll 1,68952.18%1,17036.14%35110.84%270.83%51916.04%3,237
Carter 3,72847.97%3,24041.69%78110.05%220.28%4886.28%7,771
Casey 1,10622.70%3,18765.40%52510.77%551.13%-2,081-42.70%4,873
Christian 6,84342.08%8,28550.95%1,0646.54%680.42%-1,442-8.87%16,260
Clark 4,98745.77%4,73943.49%1,09510.05%750.69%2482.28%10,896
Clay 2,13533.35%3,71658.05%4787.47%721.12%-1,581-24.70%6,401
Clinton 1,07226.96%2,52163.41%3508.80%330.83%-1,449-36.45%3,976
Crittenden 1,48043.48%1,50944.33%40011.75%150.44%-29-0.85%3,404
Cumberland 75328.29%1,65462.13%2278.53%281.05%-901-33.84%2,662
Daviess 15,36643.99%15,84445.36%3,3449.57%3761.08%-478-1.37%34,930
Edmonson 1,59535.30%2,61957.96%2986.59%70.15%-1,024-22.66%4,519
Elliott 1,29864.42%42120.89%28414.09%120.60%87743.53%2,015
Estill 1,72438.74%2,22049.89%47910.76%270.61%-496-11.15%4,450
Fayette 43,63247.09%42,93046.33%5,3455.77%7570.82%7020.76%92,664
Fleming 1,91340.16%2,31348.55%52210.96%160.34%-400-8.39%4,764
Floyd 9,65567.12%3,13921.82%1,51810.55%720.50%6,51645.30%14,384
Franklin 11,25155.24%7,13235.02%1,8739.20%1110.54%4,11920.22%20,367
Fulton 1,61459.56%86331.85%2238.23%100.37%75127.71%2,710
Gallatin 1,18950.68%83835.72%29912.75%200.85%35114.96%2,346
Garrard 1,48634.00%2,54058.11%3377.71%80.18%-1,054-24.11%4,371
Grant 2,54142.80%2,69745.43%66111.13%380.64%-156-2.63%5,937
Graves 6,99150.65%5,13037.17%1,59611.56%860.62%1,86113.48%13,803
Grayson 2,71635.17%4,24955.02%6778.77%801.04%-1,533-19.85%7,722
Green 1,28528.30%2,76360.86%47510.46%170.37%-1,478-32.56%4,540
Greenup 6,88349.32%5,37038.48%1,62711.66%760.54%1,51310.84%13,956
Hancock 1,54746.33%1,35640.61%41812.52%180.54%1915.72%3,339
Hardin 11,03141.44%12,64247.50%2,81510.58%1290.48%-1,611-6.06%26,617
Harlan 5,87458.00%3,33732.95%8848.73%320.32%2,53725.05%10,127
Harrison 2,93447.29%2,43339.22%80112.91%360.58%5018.07%6,204
Hart 2,52743.89%2,70146.91%5018.70%290.50%-174-3.02%5,758
Henderson 8,05154.38%5,09234.39%1,55610.51%1070.72%2,95919.99%14,806
Henry 2,32446.39%2,11042.12%56411.26%120.24%2144.27%5,010
Hickman 1,22056.14%69531.98%24711.37%110.51%52524.16%2,173
Hopkins 7,23947.66%6,36341.89%1,5129.95%760.50%8765.77%15,190
Jackson 96022.06%3,04569.98%2996.87%471.08%-2,085-47.92%4,351
Jefferson 144,20751.52%114,86041.03%19,4136.94%1,4330.51%29,34710.49%279,913
Jessamine 4,42836.27%6,68654.76%1,0408.52%560.46%-2,258-18.49%12,210
Johnson 3,34843.68%3,26242.56%1,01013.18%440.57%861.12%7,664
Kenton 19,40737.19%28,57954.77%3,6807.05%5140.99%-9,172-17.58%52,180
Knott 4,84273.29%1,20118.18%5177.83%470.71%3,64155.11%6,607
Knox 3,73641.08%4,50249.50%8118.92%460.51%-766-8.42%9,095
LaRue 2,04043.80%2,14045.94%46910.07%90.19%-100-2.14%4,658
Laurel 4,30628.54%9,45462.65%1,2118.03%1190.79%-5,148-34.11%15,090
Lawrence 2,19548.75%1,81240.24%48110.68%150.33%3838.51%4,503
Lee 1,02340.56%1,30251.63%1817.18%160.63%-279-11.07%2,522
Leslie 1,46635.84%2,29656.14%3047.43%240.59%-830-20.30%4,090
Letcher 4,16057.57%2,22230.75%78210.82%620.86%1,93826.82%7,226
Lewis 1,41532.38%2,36554.12%56112.84%290.66%-950-21.74%4,370
Lincoln 2,55041.73%3,00649.19%5268.61%290.47%-456-7.46%6,111
Livingston 2,22856.15%1,25831.70%44911.32%330.83%97024.45%3,968
Logan 4,18147.47%3,88844.15%7047.99%340.39%2933.32%8,807
Lyon 1,64155.89%99934.03%2849.67%120.41%64221.86%2,936
Madison 8,14242.62%9,21248.23%1,6138.44%1350.71%-1,070-5.61%19,102
Magoffin 2,24955.60%1,43435.45%3378.33%250.62%81520.15%4,045
Marion 2,92251.17%2,01335.25%75713.26%180.32%90915.92%5,710
Marshall 6,05450.12%4,57937.91%1,39111.52%540.45%1,47512.21%12,078
Martin 1,80747.00%1,61241.92%40110.43%250.65%1955.08%3,845
Mason 2,44444.12%2,58846.72%4848.74%230.42%-144-2.60%5,539
McCracken 12,67050.10%10,22140.42%2,2688.97%1280.51%2,4499.68%25,287
McCreary 1,71035.66%2,52752.70%48810.18%701.46%-817-17.04%4,795
McLean 1,83451.02%1,36838.05%38510.71%80.22%46612.97%3,595
Meade 3,65349.04%2,85538.33%91212.24%290.39%79810.71%7,449
Menifee 97954.97%60834.14%17910.05%150.84%37120.83%1,781
Mercer 3,17943.66%3,26444.82%73810.13%1011.39%-85-1.16%7,282
Metcalfe 1,34939.95%1,65148.89%35510.51%220.65%-302-8.94%3,377
Monroe 1,11422.96%3,30068.03%4158.55%220.45%-2,186-45.07%4,851
Montgomery 3,37249.62%2,68139.45%70510.37%380.56%69110.17%6,796
Morgan 1,84349.88%1,43938.94%38010.28%330.89%40410.94%3,695
Muhlenberg 6,56457.65%3,56931.35%1,21810.70%350.31%2,99526.30%11,386
Nelson 5,39248.32%4,64541.63%1,0679.56%550.49%7476.69%11,159
Nicholas 1,09247.25%95041.11%26511.47%40.17%1426.14%2,311
Ohio 3,48743.20%3,47543.05%1,07613.33%340.42%120.15%8,072
Oldham 6,20233.89%10,47757.25%1,5218.31%1010.55%-4,275-23.36%18,301
Owen 1,60342.23%1,70945.02%45411.96%300.79%-106-2.79%3,796
Owsley 64737.44%92053.24%1538.85%80.46%-273-15.80%1,728
Pendleton 1,92641.76%2,17747.20%46210.02%471.02%-251-5.44%4,612
Perry 6,01558.27%3,38232.76%8948.66%320.31%2,63325.51%10,323
Pike 14,12660.12%7,16030.47%2,1489.14%610.26%6,96629.65%23,495
Powell 2,15650.86%1,52636.00%52312.34%340.80%63014.86%4,239
Pulaski 5,34028.36%11,94563.44%1,4207.54%1240.66%-6,605-35.08%18,829
Robertson 36042.35%36843.29%11713.76%50.59%-8-0.94%850
Rockcastle 1,16024.95%3,10666.80%3387.27%460.99%-1,946-41.85%4,650
Rowan 3,21551.00%2,30936.63%72411.48%560.89%90614.37%6,304
Russell 1,58224.50%4,01762.22%83712.96%200.31%-2,435-37.72%6,456
Scott 4,25844.28%4,34945.23%97710.16%310.32%-91-0.95%9,615
Shelby 4,62943.02%5,30749.32%7807.25%450.42%-678-6.30%10,761
Simpson 2,74951.31%2,18640.80%4017.48%220.41%56310.51%5,358
Spencer 1,40441.69%1,61447.92%34110.12%90.27%-210-6.23%3,368
Taylor 2,89734.76%4,57354.87%8299.95%360.43%-1,676-20.11%8,335
Todd 1,74442.35%1,91246.43%42410.30%380.92%-168-4.08%4,118
Trigg 2,08746.65%1,97544.14%3948.81%180.40%1122.51%4,474
Trimble 1,24548.48%99938.90%30811.99%160.62%2469.58%2,568
Union 2,91357.30%1,55430.57%59811.76%190.37%1,35926.73%5,084
Warren 11,64239.59%15,78453.68%1,8356.24%1450.49%-4,142-14.09%29,406
Washington 1,63939.39%2,11650.85%3839.20%230.55%-477-11.46%4,161
Wayne 2,42240.00%3,12251.56%4817.94%300.50%-700-11.56%6,055
Webster 2,85255.90%1,56830.73%66012.94%220.43%1,28425.17%5,102
Whitley 4,17439.08%5,40250.58%1,0279.62%770.72%-1,228-11.50%10,680
Wolfe 1,29756.46%77233.61%2028.79%261.13%52522.85%2,297
Woodford 3,91043.56%4,27047.57%7468.31%510.57%-360-4.01%8,977
Total636,61445.84%623,28344.88%120,3968.67%8,4150.61%13,3310.96%1,388,708

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

By congressional district

Clinton won four of six districts, including three which elected Republicans, while the other two were won by Dole. [4]

DistrictClintonDolePerotRepresentative
1st 47%43%10% Ed Whitfield
2nd 41%49%10% Ron Lewis
3rd 53%40%7% Mike Ward
Anne Northup
4th 41%50%9% Jim Bunning
5th 47%44%9% Hal Rogers
6th 46.4%45.5%8% Scotty Baesler

See also

References

  1. "1996 General - Voter Turnout Report" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  2. "1996 Presidential General Election Results - Kentucky". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "KY US Presidential Race, November 05, 1996". Our Campaigns.
  4. "1996 United States Presidential Election, Results by Congressional District". November 5, 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2025.