1996 United States presidential election in Michigan
← 1992 November 5, 1996 2000 →
All 18 Michigan votes to the Electoral College
Turnout54.5% Decrease[1]
 
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 18 0 0
Popular vote 1,989,653 1,481,212 336,670
Percentage 51.69% 38.48% 8.75%
President before election

Bill Clinton
Democratic

Elected President

Bill Clinton
Democratic

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The 1996 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November 5, 1996. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of 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 turned out mainly Democratic, and the Lower Peninsula turned out 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 United States Presidency in recent times. This marked the first time since 1968 that the state voted Democratic in consecutive elections.

As of the 2020 presidential election, 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]

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
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Democratic Bill Clinton (incumbent) 1,989,653 51.69% 18
Republican Bob Dole 1,481,212 38.48% 0
Reform Ross Perot 336,670 8.75% 0
Libertarian Harry Browne 27,670 0.72% 0
Natural Law Dr. John Hagelin 4,254 0.11% 0
Workers World Monica Moorehead 3,153 0.08% 0
Green Ralph Nader (write-in) 2,322 0.06% 0
Other write-ins 2,316 0.06% 0
Socialist Equality Jerome White 1,554 0.04% 0
Totals 3,848,804 100.00% 18

Results by county

County Bill Clinton
Democratic 		Bob Dole
Republican 		Ross Perot
Reform 		Harry Browne
Libertarian 		Various candidates
Other parties 		Margin Total votes cast[4]
# % # % # % # % # % # %
Alcona 2,619 47.15% 2,227 40.09% 669 12.04% 32 0.58% 8 0.14% 392 7.06% 5,555
Alger 2,229 52.68% 1,429 33.77% 537 12.69% 22 0.52% 14 0.33% 800 18.91% 4,231
Allegan 14,361 37.02% 20,859 53.77% 3,269 8.43% 184 0.47% 117 0.30% -6,498 -16.75% 38,790
Alpena 7,114 52.73% 4,525 33.54% 1,730 12.82% 59 0.44% 64 0.47% 2,589 19.19% 13,492
Antrim 4,226 41.85% 4,630 45.85% 1,129 11.18% 85 0.84% 28 0.28% -404 -4.00% 10,098
Arenac 3,472 52.68% 2,247 34.09% 844 12.81% 19 0.29% 9 0.14% 1,225 18.59% 6,591
Baraga 1,601 48.60% 1,209 36.70% 460 13.96% 18 0.55% 6 0.18% 392 11.90% 3,294
Barry 9,467 40.95% 11,139 48.18% 2,282 9.87% 147 0.64% 85 0.37% -1,672 -7.23% 23,120
Bay 27,835 56.12% 16,038 32.33% 5,410 10.91% 141 0.28% 179 0.36% 11,797 23.79% 49,603
Benzie 3,081 45.41% 2,856 42.09% 763 11.25% 59 0.87% 26 0.38% 225 3.32% 6,785
Berrien 24,614 41.51% 28,254 47.65% 5,958 10.05% 254 0.43% 215 0.36% -3,640 -6.14% 59,295
Branch 6,567 44.36% 6,321 42.70% 1,779 12.02% 94 0.63% 44 0.30% 246 1.66% 14,805
Calhoun 26,287 50.12% 20,953 39.95% 4,765 9.09% 251 0.48% 187 0.36% 5,334 10.17% 52,443
Cass 8,207 45.65% 7,373 41.01% 2,241 12.46% 107 0.60% 52 0.29% 834 4.64% 17,980
Charlevoix 4,689 42.64% 4,864 44.23% 1,303 11.85% 95 0.86% 45 0.41% -175 -1.59% 10,996
Cheboygan 5,018 46.32% 4,244 39.18% 1,462 13.50% 85 0.78% 24 0.22% 774 7.14% 10,833
Chippewa 6,532 49.26% 5,137 38.74% 1,453 10.96% 81 0.61% 56 0.42% 1,395 10.52% 13,259
Clare 6,311 54.02% 3,742 32.03% 1,531 13.10% 64 0.55% 35 0.30% 2,569 21.99% 11,683
Clinton 11,945 41.76% 13,694 47.88% 2,698 9.43% 174 0.61% 90 0.31% -1,749 -6.12% 28,601
Crawford 2,666 46.60% 2,157 37.70% 840 14.68% 36 0.63% 22 0.38% 509 8.90% 5,721
Delta 8,561 53.01% 5,925 36.69% 1,543 9.55% 76 0.47% 45 0.28% 2,636 16.32% 16,150
Dickinson 5,614 48.43% 4,408 38.03% 1,478 12.75% 38 0.33% 53 0.46% 1,206 10.40% 11,591
Eaton 19,781 44.29% 20,092 44.98% 4,378 9.80% 254 0.57% 161 0.36% -311 -0.69% 44,666
Emmet 4,892 38.89% 6,002 47.71% 1,512 12.02% 80 0.64% 94 0.75% -1,110 -8.82% 12,580
Genesee 106,065 60.94% 49,332 28.34% 17,671 10.15% 633 0.36% 355 0.20% 56,733 32.60% 174,056
Gladwin 5,494 51.38% 3,670 34.32% 1,466 13.71% 38 0.36% 24 0.22% 1,824 17.06% 10,692
Gogebic 4,436 54.19% 2,769 33.83% 917 11.20% 23 0.28% 41 0.50% 1,667 20.36% 8,186
Grand Traverse 12,987 38.97% 16,355 49.07% 3,527 10.58% 279 0.84% 181 0.54% -3,368 -10.10% 33,329
Gratiot 6,793 45.67% 6,214 41.77% 1,762 11.85% 70 0.47% 36 0.24% 579 3.90% 14,875
Hillsdale 5,955 36.39% 7,947 48.56% 2,262 13.82% 154 0.94% 48 0.29% -1,992 -12.17% 16,366
Houghton 5,957 43.57% 5,941 43.46% 1,584 11.59% 119 0.87% 70 0.51% 16 0.11% 13,671
Huron 6,827 45.96% 6,126 41.24% 1,811 12.19% 64 0.43% 27 0.18% 701 4.72% 14,855
Ingham 63,584 54.43% 43,096 36.89% 8,640 7.40% 948 0.81% 547 0.47% 20,488 17.54% 116,815
Ionia 9,261 43.17% 9,574 44.63% 2,354 10.97% 198 0.92% 65 0.30% -313 -1.46% 21,452
Iosco 6,240 50.23% 4,410 35.50% 1,710 13.76% 35 0.28% 29 0.23% 1,830 14.73% 12,424
Iron 3,232 53.34% 2,014 33.24% 755 12.46% 36 0.59% 22 0.36% 1,218 20.10% 6,059
Isabella 9,635 49.81% 7,460 38.57% 2,069 10.70% 117 0.60% 61 0.32% 2,175 11.24% 19,342
Jackson 24,633 43.79% 24,987 44.42% 5,968 10.61% 507 0.90% 161 0.29% -354 -0.63% 56,256
Kalamazoo 45,644 49.01% 40,703 43.70% 5,867 6.30% 479 0.51% 442 0.47% 4,941 5.31% 93,135
Kalkaska 2,666 43.74% 2,455 40.28% 922 15.13% 41 0.67% 11 0.18% 211 3.46% 6,095
Kent 85,912 38.46% 121,335 54.32% 14,120 6.32% 1,104 0.49% 908 0.41% -35,423 -15.86% 223,379
Keweenaw 572 46.05% 491 39.53% 169 13.61% 4 0.32% 6 0.48% 81 6.52% 1,242
Lake 2,606 59.31% 1,213 27.61% 552 12.56% 12 0.27% 11 0.25% 1,393 31.70% 4,394
Lapeer 14,308 43.57% 13,369 40.71% 4,793 14.59% 282 0.86% 89 0.27% 939 2.86% 32,841
Leelanau 4,019 39.26% 5,155 50.36% 924 9.03% 90 0.88% 49 0.48% -1,136 -11.10% 10,237
Lenawee 16,924 47.51% 14,168 39.78% 4,167 11.70% 222 0.62% 138 0.39% 2,756 7.73% 35,619
Livingston 22,517 37.38% 30,598 50.79% 6,337 10.52% 630 1.05% 160 0.27% -8,081 -13.41% 60,242
Luce 1,107 45.02% 964 39.20% 366 14.88% 18 0.73% 4 0.16% 143 5.82% 2,459
Mackinac 2,700 46.86% 2,281 39.59% 742 12.88% 22 0.38% 17 0.30% 419 7.27% 5,762
Macomb 151,430 49.48% 120,616 39.41% 29,859 9.76% 3,420 1.12% 703 0.23% 30,814 10.07% 306,028
Manistee 5,383 51.08% 3,807 36.12% 1,230 11.67% 80 0.76% 39 0.37% 1,576 14.96% 10,539
Marquette 15,168 56.69% 8,805 32.91% 2,492 9.31% 178 0.67% 115 0.43% 6,363 23.78% 26,758
Mason 5,597 45.69% 5,066 41.35% 1,525 12.45% 30 0.24% 33 0.27% 531 4.34% 12,251
Mecosta 6,370 48.54% 5,289 40.30% 1,373 10.46% 40 0.30% 52 0.40% 1,081 8.24% 13,124
Menominee 4,880 47.92% 4,038 39.65% 1,205 11.83% 40 0.39% 21 0.21% 842 8.27% 10,184
Midland 15,177 42.20% 16,547 46.01% 3,964 11.02% 168 0.47% 111 0.31% -1,370 -3.81% 35,967
Missaukee 2,256 37.44% 3,012 49.99% 719 11.93% 31 0.51% 7 0.12% -756 -12.55% 6,025
Monroe 26,072 49.63% 19,678 37.46% 6,315 12.02% 278 0.53% 186 0.35% 6,394 12.17% 52,529
Montcalm 10,053 46.88% 8,679 40.47% 2,530 11.80% 132 0.62% 52 0.24% 1,374 6.41% 21,446
Montmorency 2,120 46.17% 1,760 38.33% 682 14.85% 19 0.41% 11 0.24% 360 7.84% 4,592
Muskegon 35,328 55.69% 21,873 34.48% 5,794 9.13% 277 0.44% 166 0.26% 13,455 21.21% 63,438
Newaygo 7,614 43.14% 7,868 44.58% 2,047 11.60% 69 0.39% 53 0.30% -254 -1.44% 17,651
Oakland 241,884 47.84% 219,855 43.48% 36,709 7.26% 5,508 1.09% 1,686 0.33% 22,029 4.36% 505,642
Oceana 4,419 45.36% 3,947 40.52% 1,286 13.20% 66 0.68% 24 0.25% 472 4.84% 9,742
Ogemaw 4,725 52.13% 2,904 32.04% 1,369 15.10% 47 0.52% 19 0.21% 1,821 20.09% 9,064
Ontonagon 2,080 48.98% 1,523 35.86% 604 14.22% 19 0.45% 21 0.49% 557 13.12% 4,247
Osceola 4,085 44.94% 3,855 42.41% 1,068 11.75% 70 0.77% 12 0.13% 230 2.53% 9,090
Oscoda 1,652 44.35% 1,545 41.48% 503 13.50% 17 0.46% 8 0.21% 107 2.87% 3,725
Otsego 3,351 40.28% 3,638 43.73% 1,280 15.38% 29 0.35% 22 0.26% -287 -3.45% 8,320
Ottawa 27,024 28.32% 61,436 64.39% 6,275 6.58% 337 0.35% 344 0.36% -34,412 -36.07% 95,416
Presque Isle 3,449 50.04% 2,463 35.74% 932 13.52% 35 0.51% 13 0.19% 986 14.30% 6,892
Roscommon 6,092 51.48% 4,135 34.94% 1,539 13.00% 46 0.39% 22 0.19% 1,957 16.54% 11,834
Saginaw 47,579 54.19% 31,577 35.97% 8,081 9.20% 252 0.29% 305 0.35% 16,002 18.22% 87,794
Sanilac 7,092 40.96% 7,821 45.17% 2,265 13.08% 100 0.58% 36 0.21% -729 -4.21% 17,314
Schoolcraft 2,187 56.50% 1,200 31.00% 460 11.88% 9 0.23% 15 0.39% 987 25.50% 3,871
Shiawassee 14,662 48.27% 11,714 38.56% 3,703 12.19% 211 0.69% 85 0.28% 2,948 9.71% 30,375
St. Clair 28,881 48.04% 22,495 37.42% 8,134 13.53% 445 0.74% 163 0.27% 6,386 10.62% 60,118
St. Joseph 8,529 41.02% 9,764 46.96% 2,319 11.15% 115 0.55% 67 0.32% -1,235 -5.94% 20,794
Tuscola 10,314 45.55% 9,154 40.43% 3,013 13.31% 136 0.60% 24 0.11% 1,160 5.12% 22,641
Van Buren 13,355 47.74% 11,347 40.56% 2,946 10.53% 229 0.82% 98 0.35% 2,008 7.18% 27,975
Washtenaw 73,106 58.94% 40,097 32.33% 8,020 6.47% 1,277 1.03% 1,528 1.23% 33,009 26.61% 124,028
Wayne 504,466 68.95% 175,886 24.04% 43,554 5.95% 5,301 0.72% 2,390 0.33% 328,580 44.91% 731,597
Wexford 5,510 46.35% 4,866 40.93% 1,386 11.66% 79 0.66% 47 0.40% 644 5.42% 11,888
Totals 1,989,653 51.69% 1,481,212 38.48% 336,670 8.75% 27,670 0.72% 13,639 0.35% 508,441 13.21% 3,848,844

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

References

  1. ^ "SOS - General Election Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics".
  2. ^ "1996 Presidential General Election Results – Michigan". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  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
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