1896 Minnesota gubernatorial election

{{short description|none}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1896 Minnesota gubernatorial election

| country = Minnesota

| flag_year = 1893

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1894 Minnesota gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1894

| next_election = 1898 Minnesota gubernatorial election

| next_year = 1898

| election_date = November 3, 1896

| image1 = File:DavidClough (cropped).jpg

| nominee1 = David Marston Clough

| party1 = Republican Party of Minnesota

| popular_vote1 = 165,806

| percentage1 = 49.17%

| image2 = File:John Lind.jpg

| nominee2 = John Lind

| party2 = Democratic Party of Minnesota

| popular_vote2 = 162,254

| percentage2 = 48.11%

| map_image = 1896 Minnesota gubernatorial election results map by county.svg

| map_size = 250px

| map_caption = County results
Clough: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}
Lind: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}

| title = Governor

| before_election = David Marston Clough

| before_party = Republican

| after_election = David Marston Clough

| after_party = Republican

}}

{{ElectionsMN}}

The 1896 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1896. Republican Party of Minnesota incumbent David Marston Clough narrowly defeated Democratic Party of Minnesota challenger John Lind. Lind later won the 1898 gubernatorial election and became the first Democrat elected to the office of Governor of Minnesota since Henry Hastings Sibley left office in 1860. 1896 was the first of three successive elections in which Lind ran for governor at the head of a coalition consisting of the Democratic Party and the majority faction of the People's Party.