1996 United States presidential election in Maine
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Main|1996 United States presidential election}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1996 United States presidential election in Maine
| country = Maine
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1992 United States presidential election in Maine
| previous_year = 1992
| next_election = 2000 United States presidential election in Maine
| next_year = 2000
| election_date = November 5, 1996
| image_size = x160px
| image1 = Bill Clinton.jpg
| nominee1 = Bill Clinton
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| home_state1 = Arkansas
| running_mate1 = Al Gore
| electoral_vote1 = 4
| popular_vote1 = 312,788
| percentage1 = 51.62%
| image2 = Ks 1996 dole (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = Bob Dole
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| home_state2 = Kansas
| running_mate2 = Jack Kemp
| electoral_vote2 = 0
| popular_vote2 = 186,378
| percentage2 = 30.76%
| image3 = RossPerotColor.jpg
| nominee3 = Ross Perot
| party3 = Reform Party (United States)
| home_state3 = Texas
| running_mate3 = James Campbell
| electoral_vote3 = 0
| states_carried3 =
| popular_vote3 = 85,970
| percentage3 = 14.19%
| map_image = {{Switcher
| 350px
| County Results
| 350px
| Congressional District Results
| 350px
| Municipality Results
}}
| map_caption = {{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
Clinton
{{legend|#D3E7FF|30–40%}}
{{legend|#B9D7FF|40–50%}}
{{legend|#86B6F2|50–60%}}
{{legend|#4389e3|60–70%}}
{{legend|#1666CB|70–80%}}
{{legend|#0645B4|80–90%}}
{{col-3}}
Dole
{{legend|#FFCCD0|30–40%}}
{{legend|#F2B3BE|40–50%}}
{{legend|#e27f90|50–60%}}
{{legend|#CC2F4A|60–70%}}
{{col-3}}
Perot
{{legend|#AFE9AF|40–50%}}
{{legend|#42CA42|60–70%}}
{{col-4}}
Tie
{{legend|#D4C4DC}}
{{col-end}}
| title = President
| before_election = Bill Clinton
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Bill Clinton
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Elections in Maine sidebar}}
The 1996 United States presidential election in Maine took place on November 5, 1996, as part of the 1996 United States presidential election. Maine is one of two states in the U.S. that chooses two of its four representatives in the Electoral College based on the plurality vote in both its congressional districts instead of all four electors being chosen based on the statewide plurality vote.
Maine confirmed its status as a blue state, with Democratic nominee President Bill Clinton carrying the state with 51.62% of the vote over Republican Bob Dole, who received 30.76%. As of 2024, Clinton's 20.86% margin of victory is the widest for a Democrat since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, although several subsequent Democrats have won a higher vote percentage.
Maine has voted Democratic since 1992, and is the only state other than Nebraska to split its electoral votes. The last time Maine went Republican was for George H. W. Bush and Dan Quayle in 1988. Third Party candidate Ross Perot had a lesser impact this time, only drawing 14% of the vote, compared to 30% in 1992. This would still be where Perot received the highest percentage of votes in 1996.{{cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/stats.php?year=1996&f=1&off=0&elect=0|title=1996 Presidential Election Statistics|publisher=Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|access-date=2018-03-05}} {{As of|2024|11|alt=As of the 2024 presidential election}}, this is the last election in which Piscataquis County voted for a Democratic presidential candidate.Sullivan, Robert David; [http://www.americamagazine.org/content/unconventional-wisdom/how-red-and-blue-map-evolved-over-past-century ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’]; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016 This is also the most recent election in which all the counties of Maine voted for the same party.
Results
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |
| colspan="6" | 1996 United States presidential election in Maine |
|---|
| colspan="2" style="width: 13em" |Party
! style="width: 11em" |Candidate ! style="width: 10em" |Running mate ! style="width: 4em" |Votes ! style="width: 7em" |Percentage ! style="width: 5em" |Electoral votes |
| style="background-color:#3333FF; width: 3px" |
| style="width: 130px" | Democratic | Al Gore (incumbent) | align="right" | 312,788 | align="right" | 51.62% | align="right" | 4 |
| style="background-color:#FF3333; width: 3px" |
| style="width: 130px" | Republican | Bob Dole | align="right" | 186,378 | align="right" | 30.76% | align="right" | 0 |
| style="background-color:#6A287E; width: 3px" |
| style="width: 130px" | Reform | align="right" | 85,970 | align="right" | 14.19% | align="right" | 0 |
| style="background-color:#0BDA51; width: 3px" |
| style="width: 130px" | Green | align="right" | 15,279 | align="right" | 2.52% | align="right" | 0 |
| style="background-color:#FFCC00; width: 3px" |
| style="width: 130px" | Libertarian | align="right" | 2,996 | align="right" | 0.49% | align="right" | 0 |
| style="background-color:#461B7E; width: 3px" |
| style="width: 130px" | U.S. Taxpayers' Party | align="right" | 1,517 | align="right" | 0.25% | align="right" | 0 |
| style="background-color:#00BFFF; width: 3px" |
| style="width: 130px" | Natural Law | align="right" | 825 | align="right" | 0.14% | align="right" | 0 |
| style="background-color:#FFFFFF; width: 3px" |
| style="width: 130px" | No party | Write-in | | align="right" | 144 | align="right" | 0.02% | align="right" | 0 |
=By congressional district=
Clinton won both congressional districts.
| class=wikitable
! District ! Clinton ! Dole ! Perot ! Representative |
| align=center
! rowspan=2 {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Maine|1|1st}} | rowspan=2|52.1% | rowspan=2|31.8% | rowspan=2|12.6% | {{party shading/Republican}}|James B. Longley Jr. (104th Congress) |
| align=center
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Tom Allen (105th Congress) |
| align=center
! {{party shading/Democratic}} rowpsan="2" |{{ushr|Maine|2|2nd}} | 51.2% | 29.6% | 16.0% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|John Baldacci |
| align=center |
=Results by county=
| width="65%" class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |
| colspan="1" rowspan="2" |County
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Bill Clinton ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Bob Dole ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Ross Perot ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Various candidates ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Margin ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="1"| Total votes cast |
|---|
| style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Androscoggin | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 26,428 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 56.55% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 12,053 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 25.79% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 7,079 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 15.15% | style="background:#00a95c"| 1,171 | style="background:#00a95c"| 2.51% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 14,375 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 30.76% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 46,731 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Aroostook | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 18,022 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 51.80% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 10,400 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 29.89% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 5,747 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 16.52% | style="background:#00a95c"| 623 | style="background:#00a95c"| 1.79% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 7,622 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 21.91% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 34,792 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Cumberland | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 69,496 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 53.62% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 42,620 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 32.88% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 12,696 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 9.80% | style="background:#00a95c"| 4,798 | style="background:#00a95c"| 3.70% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 26,876 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 20.74% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 129,610 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Franklin | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 7,759 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 53.16% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 3,757 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 25.74% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 2,567 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 17.59% | style="background:#00a95c"| 513 | style="background:#00a95c"| 3.51% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 4,002 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 27.42% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 14,596 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Hancock | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 12,256 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 46.34% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 8,345 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 31.55% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 4,094 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 15.48% | style="background:#00a95c"| 1,753 | style="background:#00a95c"| 6.63% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 3,911 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 14.79% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 26,448 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Kennebec | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 30,257 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 54.37% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 15,403 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 27.68% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 8,281 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 14.88% | style="background:#00a95c"| 1,713 | style="background:#00a95c"| 3.08% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 14,854 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 26.69% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 55,654 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Knox | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 8,839 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 46.81% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 6,192 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 32.79% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 2,780 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 14.72% | style="background:#00a95c"| 1,072 | style="background:#00a95c"| 5.68% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 2,647 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 14.02% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 18,883 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Lincoln | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 8,130 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 44.74% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 6,372 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 35.06% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 2,923 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 16.08% | style="background:#00a95c"| 748 | style="background:#00a95c"| 4.12% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 1,758 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 9.68% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 18,173 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Oxford | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 13,580 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 52.05% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 7,238 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 27.74% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 4,589 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 17.59% | style="background:#00a95c"| 684 | style="background:#00a95c"| 2.62% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 6,342 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 24.31% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 26,091 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Penobscot | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 35,961 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 51.00% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 22,885 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 32.45% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 9,673 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 13.72% | style="background:#00a95c"| 1,998 | style="background:#00a95c"| 2.83% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 13,076 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 18.55% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 70,517 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Piscataquis | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 4,343 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 48.69% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 2,815 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 31.56% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 1,524 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 17.09% | style="background:#00a95c"| 238 | style="background:#00a95c"| 2.67% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 1,528 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 17.13% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 8,920 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Sagadahoc | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 8,417 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 49.73% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 5,346 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 31.59% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 2,451 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 14.48% | style="background:#00a95c"| 710 | style="background:#00a95c"| 4.20% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 3,071 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 18.14% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 16,924 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Somerset | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 11,773 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 50.94% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 6,247 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 27.03% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 4,449 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 19.25% | style="background:#00a95c"| 642 | style="background:#00a95c"| 2.78% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 5,526 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 23.91% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 23,111 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Waldo | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 8,012 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 46.37% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 5,318 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 30.78% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 2,816 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 16.30% | style="background:#00a95c"| 1,133 | style="background:#00a95c"| 6.56% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 2,694 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 15.59% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 17,279 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| Washington | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 7,198 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 47.39% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 4,793 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 31.56% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 2,721 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 17.91% | style="background:#00a95c"| 477 | style="background:#00a95c"| 3.14% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 2,405 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 15.83% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 15,189 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}| York | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 42,317 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 51.00% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 26,594 | {{party shading/Republican}}| 32.05% | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 11,580 | {{party shading/ReformUSA}}| 13.96% | style="background:#00a95c"| 2,488 | style="background:#00a95c"| 3.00% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 15,723 | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 18.95% | {{party shading/Democratic}}| 82,979 |
| style="text-align:center;"
!Totals!!312,788!!51.62%!!186,378!!30.76%!!85,970!!14.19%!!20,761!!3.43%!!126,410!!20.86%!!605,897 |
==Counties that flipped from Independent to Democratic==
See also
References
{{Maine elections}}
{{State results of the 1996 U.S. presidential election}}
{{1996 United States elections}}
{{United States elections}}