Kentucky — 1896 presidential election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate1896 presidential electionKentucky · PresidentMcKinleyR+0.1
How it voted
Share of the 1896 vote
| William McKinley ✓Republican | 48.9% | 218,171 |
|---|---|---|
| William J. BryanDemocratic | 48.9% | 217,894 |
| OtherAll other candidates | 2.2% | 9,863 |
1896presidential margin
D+60R+60
119 counties, each filled by 1896 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
Kentucky cast 13 electoral votes this cycle.
County-level results (119 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Adair County, KY | Republican | R+8.8 |
| Allen County, KY | Republican | R+4.4 |
| Anderson County, KY | Democratic | D+5.4 |
| Ballard County, KY | Democratic | D+53.2 |
| Barren County, KY | Democratic | D+17.6 |
| Bath County, KY | Democratic | D+6.2 |
| Bell County, KY | Republican | R+50.4 |
| Boone County, KY | Democratic | D+48.8 |
| Bourbon County, KY | Republican | R+7.5 |
| Boyd County, KY | Republican | R+24.8 |
| Boyle County, KY | Republican | R+16.0 |
| Bracken County, KY | Democratic | D+17.6 |
| Breathitt County, KY | Democratic | D+21.5 |
| Breckinridge County, KY | Republican | R+1.6 |
| Bullitt County, KY | Democratic | D+18.0 |
| Butler County, KY | Republican | R+24.8 |
| Caldwell County, KY | Republican | R+0.5 |
| Calloway County, KY | Democratic | D+62.3 |
| Campbell County, KY | Republican | R+14.8 |
| Carlisle County, KY | Democratic | D+59.1 |
| Carroll County, KY | Democratic | D+43.4 |
| Carter County, KY | Republican | R+18.6 |
| Casey County, KY | Republican | R+21.1 |
| Christian County, KY | Republican | R+17.6 |
| Clark County, KY | Democratic | D+0.5 |
| Clay County, KY | Republican | R+41.3 |
| Clinton County, KY | Republican | R+46.5 |
| Crittenden County, KY | Democratic | D+0.1 |
| Cumberland County, KY | Republican | R+29.7 |
| Daviess County, KY | Democratic | D+22.2 |
| Edmonson County, KY | Republican | R+4.9 |
| Elliott County, KY | Democratic | D+38.0 |
| Estill County, KY | Republican | R+10.7 |
| Fayette County, KY | Republican | R+13.0 |
| Fleming County, KY | Democratic | D+1.9 |
| Floyd County, KY | Democratic | D+14.2 |
| Franklin County, KY | Democratic | D+6.1 |
| Fulton County, KY | Democratic | D+38.6 |
| Gallatin County, KY | Democratic | D+39.9 |
| Garrard County, KY | Republican | R+14.8 |
| Grant County, KY | Democratic | D+13.0 |
| Graves County, KY | Democratic | D+47.4 |
| Grayson County, KY | Democratic | D+3.3 |
| Green County, KY | Republican | R+9.7 |
| Greenup County, KY | Republican | R+13.4 |
| Hancock County, KY | Democratic | D+2.5 |
| Hardin County, KY | Democratic | D+19.8 |
| Harlan County, KY | Republican | R+68.0 |
| Harrison County, KY | Democratic | D+21.8 |
| Hart County, KY | Republican | R+1.2 |
| Henderson County, KY | Democratic | D+18.3 |
| Henry County, KY | Democratic | D+10.2 |
| Hickman County, KY | Democratic | D+43.8 |
| Hopkins County, KY | Democratic | D+16.2 |
| Jackson County, KY | Republican | R+76.9 |
| Jefferson County, KY | Republican | R+26.2 |
| Jessamine County, KY | Democratic | D+2.9 |
| Johnson County, KY | Republican | R+29.3 |
| Kenton County, KY | Democratic | D+6.3 |
| Knott County, KY | Democratic | D+32.4 |
| Knox County, KY | Republican | R+45.1 |
| Larue County, KY | Democratic | D+16.0 |
| Laurel County, KY | Republican | R+32.0 |
| Lawrence County, KY | Republican | R+3.8 |
| Lee County, KY | Republican | R+19.7 |
| Leslie County, KY | Republican | R+83.3 |
| Letcher County, KY | Republican | R+34.8 |
| Lewis County, KY | Republican | R+23.9 |
| Lincoln County, KY | Republican | R+5.6 |
| Livingston County, KY | Democratic | D+20.9 |
| Logan County, KY | Democratic | D+13.2 |
| Lyon County, KY | Democratic | D+11.6 |
| Madison County, KY | Republican | R+5.7 |
| Magoffin County, KY | Republican | R+15.8 |
| Marion County, KY | Democratic | D+8.5 |
| Marshall County, KY | Democratic | D+53.1 |
| Martin County, KY | Republican | R+52.2 |
| Mason County, KY | Democratic | D+2.3 |
| McCracken County, KY | Democratic | D+12.5 |
| McLean County, KY | Democratic | D+18.9 |
| Meade County, KY | Democratic | D+31.5 |
| Menifee County, KY | Democratic | D+27.5 |
| Mercer County, KY | Republican | R+0.5 |
| Metcalfe County, KY | Republican | R+11.5 |
| Monroe County, KY | Republican | R+33.6 |
| Montgomery County, KY | Democratic | D+4.5 |
| Morgan County, KY | Democratic | D+28.4 |
| Muhlenberg County, KY | Republican | R+12.9 |
| Nelson County, KY | Democratic | D+20.8 |
| Nicholas County, KY | Democratic | D+23.1 |
| Ohio County, KY | Democratic | D+0.5 |
| Oldham County, KY | Democratic | D+14.9 |
| Owen County, KY | Democratic | D+50.4 |
| Owsley County, KY | Republican | R+65.7 |
| Pendleton County, KY | Democratic | D+9.9 |
| Perry County, KY | Republican | R+40.4 |
| Pike County, KY | Republican | R+5.9 |
| Powell County, KY | Democratic | D+4.7 |
| Pulaski County, KY | Republican | R+26.7 |
| Robertson County, KY | Democratic | D+19.1 |
| Rockcastle County, KY | Republican | R+26.8 |
| Rowan County, KY | Republican | R+8.1 |
| Russell County, KY | Republican | R+25.0 |
| Scott County, KY | Democratic | D+2.8 |
| Shelby County, KY | Democratic | D+10.5 |
| Simpson County, KY | Democratic | D+25.5 |
| Spencer County, KY | Democratic | D+23.3 |
| Taylor County, KY | Democratic | D+5.1 |
| Todd County, KY | Republican | R+2.4 |
| Trigg County, KY | Democratic | D+11.3 |
| Trimble County, KY | Democratic | D+48.6 |
| Union County, KY | Democratic | D+42.7 |
| Warren County, KY | Democratic | D+12.4 |
| Washington County, KY | Republican | R+1.2 |
| Wayne County, KY | Republican | R+8.4 |
| Webster County, KY | Democratic | D+24.7 |
| Whitley County, KY | Republican | R+55.8 |
| Wolfe County, KY | Democratic | D+25.0 |
| Woodford County, KY | Republican | R+3.6 |
Kentucky results by county
119 counties. Third-party and independent votes are reported by the county source as one combined figure; every named candidate is listed in the complete result below.
| Led by | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | William McKinley+267 | 1,61253.4% | 1,34544.6% | 622.1% | 3,019 |
| Allen County | William McKinley+135 | 1,59551.5% | 1,46047.1% | 451.5% | 3,100 |
| Anderson County | William J. Bryan+135 | 1,15146.1% | 1,28651.5% | 622.5% | 2,499 |
| Ballard County | William J. Bryan+1,175 | 49522.4% | 1,67075.6% | 442.0% | 2,209 |
| Barren County | William J. Bryan+914 | 2,09240.3% | 3,00657.8% | 991.9% | 5,197 |
| Bath County | William J. Bryan+212 | 1,57946.0% | 1,79152.2% | 641.9% | 3,434 |
| Bell County | William McKinley+1,285 | 1,90074.5% | 61524.1% | 341.3% | 2,549 |
| Boone County | William J. Bryan+1,536 | 78124.8% | 2,31773.6% | 481.5% | 3,146 |
| Bourbon County | William McKinley+368 | 2,57852.8% | 2,21045.2% | 982.0% | 4,886 |
| Boyd County | William McKinley+846 | 2,08761.3% | 1,24136.4% | 792.3% | 3,407 |
| Boyle County | William McKinley+481 | 1,68756.3% | 1,20640.2% | 1063.5% | 2,999 |
| Bracken County | William J. Bryan+536 | 1,22640.2% | 1,76257.8% | 612.0% | 3,049 |
| Breathitt County | William J. Bryan+428 | 77638.9% | 1,20460.4% | 140.7% | 1,994 |
| Breckinridge County | William McKinley+72 | 2,27449.8% | 2,20248.2% | 942.1% | 4,570 |
| Bullitt County | William J. Bryan+369 | 79939.0% | 1,16857.0% | 814.0% | 2,048 |
| Butler County | William McKinley+768 | 1,90761.5% | 1,13936.7% | 551.8% | 3,101 |
| Caldwell County | William McKinley+14 | 1,54449.7% | 1,53049.2% | 351.1% | 3,109 |
| Calloway County | William J. Bryan+2,011 | 56117.4% | 2,57279.7% | 942.9% | 3,227 |
| Campbell County | William McKinley+1,517 | 5,82156.7% | 4,30441.9% | 1381.3% | 10,263 |
| Carlisle County | William J. Bryan+1,234 | 39018.7% | 1,62477.8% | 743.5% | 2,088 |
| Carroll County | William J. Bryan+1,093 | 68527.2% | 1,77870.6% | 562.2% | 2,519 |
| Carter County | William McKinley+775 | 2,44058.5% | 1,66539.9% | 691.7% | 4,174 |
| Casey County | William McKinley+582 | 1,64359.5% | 1,06138.4% | 592.1% | 2,763 |
| Christian County | William McKinley+1,380 | 4,52557.9% | 3,14540.2% | 1491.9% | 7,819 |
| Clark County | William J. Bryan+23 | 2,03248.2% | 2,05548.7% | 1313.1% | 4,218 |
| Clay County | William McKinley+1,018 | 1,72570.0% | 70728.7% | 331.3% | 2,465 |
| Clinton County | William McKinley+644 | 1,00472.4% | 36026.0% | 221.6% | 1,386 |
| Crittenden County | William J. Bryan+2 | 1,57449.6% | 1,57649.7% | 240.8% | 3,174 |
| Cumberland County | William McKinley+533 | 1,15464.3% | 62134.6% | 211.2% | 1,796 |
| Daviess County | William J. Bryan+1,847 | 3,10537.3% | 4,95259.5% | 2713.3% | 8,328 |
| Edmonson County | William McKinley+89 | 95251.9% | 86347.0% | 201.1% | 1,835 |
| Elliott County | William J. Bryan+717 | 57730.6% | 1,29468.5% | 170.9% | 1,888 |
| Estill County | William McKinley+224 | 1,15355.0% | 92944.3% | 130.6% | 2,095 |
| Fayette County | William McKinley+1,205 | 5,14355.5% | 3,93842.5% | 1791.9% | 9,260 |
| Fleming County | William J. Bryan+78 | 1,93548.0% | 2,01349.9% | 862.1% | 4,034 |
| Floyd County | William J. Bryan+353 | 1,05742.5% | 1,41056.7% | 200.8% | 2,487 |
| Franklin County | William J. Bryan+290 | 2,17545.8% | 2,46551.9% | 1122.4% | 4,752 |
| Fulton County | William J. Bryan+811 | 60328.7% | 1,41467.3% | 844.0% | 2,101 |
| Gallatin County | William J. Bryan+537 | 39629.4% | 93369.4% | 161.2% | 1,345 |
| Garrard County | William McKinley+424 | 1,59555.6% | 1,17140.8% | 1023.6% | 2,868 |
| Grant County | William J. Bryan+435 | 1,41742.4% | 1,85255.4% | 722.2% | 3,341 |
| Graves County | William J. Bryan+3,071 | 1,62825.1% | 4,69972.6% | 1472.3% | 6,474 |
| Grayson County | William J. Bryan+128 | 1,87447.7% | 2,00251.0% | 501.3% | 3,926 |
| Green County | William McKinley+247 | 1,38954.4% | 1,14244.7% | 240.9% | 2,555 |
| Greenup County | William McKinley+433 | 1,80255.7% | 1,36942.3% | 672.1% | 3,238 |
| Hancock County | William J. Bryan+54 | 1,02648.1% | 1,08050.6% | 281.3% | 2,134 |
| Hardin County | William J. Bryan+963 | 1,88538.7% | 2,84858.4% | 1402.9% | 4,873 |
| Harlan County | William McKinley+973 | 1,18983.1% | 21615.1% | 251.7% | 1,430 |
| Harrison County | William J. Bryan+985 | 1,70537.7% | 2,69059.4% | 1322.9% | 4,527 |
| Hart County | William McKinley+48 | 1,99949.6% | 1,95148.4% | 812.0% | 4,031 |
| Henderson County | William J. Bryan+1,254 | 2,75040.0% | 4,00458.3% | 1131.6% | 6,867 |
| Henry County | William J. Bryan+404 | 1,71143.2% | 2,11553.4% | 1313.3% | 3,957 |
| Hickman County | William J. Bryan+1,201 | 72726.5% | 1,92870.4% | 853.1% | 2,740 |
| Hopkins County | William J. Bryan+980 | 2,49041.1% | 3,47057.3% | 921.5% | 6,052 |
| Jackson County | William McKinley+1,328 | 1,51787.8% | 18910.9% | 221.3% | 1,728 |
| Jefferson County | William McKinley+12,400 | 29,10761.6% | 16,70735.3% | 1,4583.1% | 47,272 |
| Jessamine County | William J. Bryan+85 | 1,34346.5% | 1,42849.5% | 1154.0% | 2,886 |
| Johnson County | William McKinley+819 | 1,79464.1% | 97534.8% | 311.1% | 2,800 |
| Kenton County | William J. Bryan+843 | 6,16546.3% | 7,00852.6% | 1491.1% | 13,322 |
| Knott County | William J. Bryan+391 | 40433.5% | 79565.9% | 70.6% | 1,206 |
| Knox County | William McKinley+1,404 | 2,23771.9% | 83326.8% | 401.3% | 3,110 |
| Larue County | William J. Bryan+369 | 95541.5% | 1,32457.5% | 231.0% | 2,302 |
| Laurel County | William McKinley+952 | 1,92164.5% | 96932.5% | 893.0% | 2,979 |
| Lawrence County | William McKinley+146 | 1,96651.4% | 1,82047.6% | 401.0% | 3,826 |
| Lee County | William McKinley+294 | 88159.1% | 58739.4% | 231.5% | 1,491 |
| Leslie County | William McKinley+832 | 91391.4% | 818.1% | 50.5% | 999 |
| Letcher County | William McKinley+425 | 81366.6% | 38831.8% | 201.6% | 1,221 |
| Lewis County | William McKinley+915 | 2,34861.3% | 1,43337.4% | 501.3% | 3,831 |
| Lincoln County | William McKinley+205 | 1,83350.3% | 1,62844.7% | 1855.1% | 3,646 |
| Livingston County | William J. Bryan+474 | 87238.4% | 1,34659.3% | 522.3% | 2,270 |
| Logan County | William J. Bryan+782 | 2,48442.1% | 3,26655.3% | 1522.6% | 5,902 |
| Lyon County | William J. Bryan+206 | 76342.8% | 96954.4% | 492.8% | 1,781 |
| Madison County | William McKinley+344 | 3,10051.7% | 2,75646.0% | 1412.4% | 5,997 |
| Magoffin County | William McKinley+315 | 1,14857.5% | 83341.7% | 170.9% | 1,998 |
| Marion County | William J. Bryan+298 | 1,57545.0% | 1,87353.5% | 501.4% | 3,498 |
| Marshall County | William J. Bryan+1,358 | 56822.2% | 1,92675.3% | 632.5% | 2,557 |
| Martin County | William McKinley+503 | 73075.7% | 22723.5% | 70.7% | 964 |
| Mason County | William J. Bryan+123 | 2,57548.2% | 2,69850.5% | 741.4% | 5,347 |
| McCracken County | William J. Bryan+671 | 2,28442.6% | 2,95555.1% | 1202.2% | 5,359 |
| McLean County | William J. Bryan+454 | 93539.0% | 1,38957.9% | 753.1% | 2,399 |
| Meade County | William J. Bryan+738 | 78133.3% | 1,51964.9% | 421.8% | 2,342 |
| Menifee County | William J. Bryan+277 | 35935.6% | 63663.0% | 141.4% | 1,009 |
| Mercer County | William McKinley+20 | 1,76548.3% | 1,74547.8% | 1423.9% | 3,652 |
| Metcalfe County | William McKinley+245 | 1,15354.2% | 90842.7% | 663.1% | 2,127 |
| Monroe County | William McKinley+819 | 1,61366.2% | 79432.6% | 311.3% | 2,438 |
| Montgomery County | William J. Bryan+140 | 1,48447.3% | 1,62451.8% | 280.9% | 3,136 |
| Morgan County | William J. Bryan+732 | 91035.3% | 1,64263.6% | 281.1% | 2,580 |
| Muhlenberg County | William McKinley+517 | 2,21755.2% | 1,70042.3% | 992.5% | 4,016 |
| Nelson County | William J. Bryan+777 | 1,44638.7% | 2,22359.4% | 711.9% | 3,740 |
| Nicholas County | William J. Bryan+719 | 1,15937.3% | 1,87860.4% | 722.3% | 3,109 |
| Ohio County | William J. Bryan+26 | 2,65348.2% | 2,67948.6% | 1773.2% | 5,509 |
| Oldham County | William J. Bryan+255 | 69140.5% | 94655.4% | 704.1% | 1,707 |
| Owen County | William J. Bryan+2,287 | 1,08623.9% | 3,37374.3% | 781.7% | 4,537 |
| Owsley County | William McKinley+786 | 98382.1% | 19716.5% | 171.4% | 1,197 |
| Pendleton County | William J. Bryan+354 | 1,58544.1% | 1,93954.0% | 691.9% | 3,593 |
| Perry County | William McKinley+484 | 82468.8% | 34028.4% | 332.8% | 1,197 |
| Pike County | William McKinley+241 | 2,14152.6% | 1,90046.6% | 320.8% | 4,073 |
| Powell County | William J. Bryan+63 | 62546.6% | 68851.3% | 282.1% | 1,341 |
| Pulaski County | William McKinley+1,569 | 3,66862.5% | 2,09935.8% | 1041.8% | 5,871 |
| Robertson County | William J. Bryan+217 | 44939.5% | 66658.6% | 221.9% | 1,137 |
| Rockcastle County | William McKinley+634 | 1,48062.6% | 84635.8% | 371.6% | 2,363 |
| Rowan County | William McKinley+117 | 76753.0% | 65044.9% | 302.1% | 1,447 |
| Russell County | William McKinley+426 | 1,03861.0% | 61235.9% | 533.1% | 1,703 |
| Scott County | William J. Bryan+126 | 2,11147.1% | 2,23749.9% | 1333.0% | 4,481 |
| Shelby County | William J. Bryan+495 | 2,02942.9% | 2,52453.4% | 1743.7% | 4,727 |
| Simpson County | William J. Bryan+643 | 88835.3% | 1,53160.8% | 993.9% | 2,518 |
| Spencer County | William J. Bryan+373 | 59637.2% | 96960.5% | 362.2% | 1,601 |
| Taylor County | William J. Bryan+116 | 1,05046.6% | 1,16651.8% | 371.6% | 2,253 |
| Todd County | William McKinley+86 | 1,79349.3% | 1,70746.9% | 1403.8% | 3,640 |
| Trigg County | William J. Bryan+338 | 1,29543.4% | 1,63354.8% | 531.8% | 2,981 |
| Trimble County | William J. Bryan+849 | 41823.9% | 1,26772.5% | 623.5% | 1,747 |
| Union County | William J. Bryan+1,934 | 1,24927.6% | 3,18370.2% | 1012.2% | 4,533 |
| Warren County | William J. Bryan+850 | 2,86642.0% | 3,71654.4% | 2483.6% | 6,830 |
| Washington County | William McKinley+37 | 1,57349.5% | 1,53648.3% | 682.1% | 3,177 |
| Wayne County | William McKinley+223 | 1,41353.4% | 1,19045.0% | 411.6% | 2,644 |
| Webster County | William J. Bryan+987 | 1,48437.2% | 2,47161.9% | 391.0% | 3,994 |
| Whitley County | William McKinley+2,268 | 3,13077.0% | 86221.2% | 721.8% | 4,064 |
| Wolfe County | William J. Bryan+398 | 58336.7% | 98161.7% | 251.6% | 1,589 |
| Woodford County | William McKinley+119 | 1,66550.6% | 1,54647.0% | 772.3% | 3,288 |
Nominees: William Jennings Bryan (D) · William McKinley (R)
Kentucky's presidential margins
1892–2024, the 1896 contest in context
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1892 | +11.7% |
| 1896 | −0.1% |
| 1900 | +1.7% |
| 1904 | +2.7% |
| 1908 | +1.7% |
| 1912 | +23.2% |
| 1916 | +5.4% |
| 1920 | +0.4% |
| 1924 | −2.9% |
| 1928 | −18.9% |
| 1932 | +18.9% |
| 1936 | +18.6% |
| 1940 | +15.1% |
| 1944 | +9.2% |
| 1948 | +15.3% |
| 1952 | +0.1% |
| 1956 | −9.1% |
| 1960 | −7.2% |
| 1964 | +28.4% |
| 1968 | −6.1% |
| 1972 | −28.6% |
| 1976 | +7.2% |
| 1980 | −1.5% |
| 1984 | −20.7% |
| 1988 | −11.6% |
| 1992 | +3.2% |
| 1996 | +1.0% |
| 2000 | −15.1% |
| 2004 | −19.9% |
| 2008 | −16.2% |
| 2012 | −22.7% |
| 2016 | −29.8% |
| 2020 | −25.9% |
| 2024 | −30.5% |
Source. Compiled historical county records — 1896 presidential returns · official county-level results. Real returns — nothing estimated.