North Carolina — 1996 presidential election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate1996 presidential electionNorth Carolina · PresidentDoleR+4.7
How it voted
Share of the 1996 vote
| Bob Dole ✓Republican | 48.7% | 1,225,938 |
|---|---|---|
| Bill ClintonDemocratic | 44.0% | 1,107,849 |
| OtherAll other candidates | 7.2% | 182,020 |
1996presidential margin
D+60R+60
100 counties, each filled by 1996 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
North Carolina cast 14 electoral votes this cycle.
County-level results (100 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Alamance County, NC | Republican | R+15.9 |
| Alexander County, NC | Republican | R+23.8 |
| Alleghany County, NC | Republican | R+3.2 |
| Anson County, NC | Democratic | D+35.4 |
| Ashe County, NC | Republican | R+13.9 |
| Avery County, NC | Republican | R+37.1 |
| Beaufort County, NC | Republican | R+13.0 |
| Bertie County, NC | Democratic | D+39.2 |
| Bladen County, NC | Democratic | D+18.0 |
| Brunswick County, NC | Republican | R+0.1 |
| Buncombe County, NC | Democratic | D+1.7 |
| Burke County, NC | Republican | R+7.7 |
| Cabarrus County, NC | Republican | R+20.8 |
| Caldwell County, NC | Republican | R+20.1 |
| Camden County, NC | Democratic | D+4.4 |
| Carteret County, NC | Republican | R+19.9 |
| Caswell County, NC | Democratic | D+12.3 |
| Catawba County, NC | Republican | R+24.4 |
| Chatham County, NC | Democratic | D+8.8 |
| Cherokee County, NC | Republican | R+9.6 |
| Chowan County, NC | Democratic | D+13.6 |
| Clay County, NC | Republican | R+8.4 |
| Cleveland County, NC | Republican | R+2.6 |
| Columbus County, NC | Democratic | D+18.4 |
| Craven County, NC | Republican | R+11.7 |
| Cumberland County, NC | Democratic | D+4.4 |
| Currituck County, NC | Republican | R+5.2 |
| Dare County, NC | Republican | R+4.2 |
| Davidson County, NC | Republican | R+26.5 |
| Davie County, NC | Republican | R+36.6 |
| Duplin County, NC | Democratic | D+6.0 |
| Durham County, NC | Democratic | D+26.4 |
| Edgecombe County, NC | Democratic | D+26.4 |
| Forsyth County, NC | Republican | R+11.3 |
| Franklin County, NC | Democratic | D+6.1 |
| Gaston County, NC | Republican | R+24.1 |
| Gates County, NC | Democratic | D+30.6 |
| Graham County, NC | Republican | R+18.0 |
| Granville County, NC | Democratic | D+9.8 |
| Greene County, NC | Republican | R+8.9 |
| Guilford County, NC | Democratic | D+1.0 |
| Halifax County, NC | Democratic | D+23.9 |
| Harnett County, NC | Republican | R+13.0 |
| Haywood County, NC | Democratic | D+6.8 |
| Henderson County, NC | Republican | R+26.2 |
| Hertford County, NC | Democratic | D+43.0 |
| Hoke County, NC | Democratic | D+26.9 |
| Hyde County, NC | Democratic | D+16.0 |
| Iredell County, NC | Republican | R+21.5 |
| Jackson County, NC | Democratic | D+9.2 |
| Johnston County, NC | Republican | R+23.4 |
| Jones County, NC | Democratic | D+4.0 |
| Lee County, NC | Republican | R+7.0 |
| Lenoir County, NC | Republican | R+4.2 |
| Lincoln County, NC | Republican | R+17.8 |
| Macon County, NC | Republican | R+9.9 |
| Madison County, NC | Democratic | D+3.2 |
| Martin County, NC | Democratic | D+10.6 |
| McDowell County, NC | Republican | R+15.1 |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | Democratic | D+2.7 |
| Mitchell County, NC | Republican | R+40.0 |
| Montgomery County, NC | Democratic | D+6.1 |
| Moore County, NC | Republican | R+18.6 |
| Nash County, NC | Republican | R+14.7 |
| New Hanover County, NC | Republican | R+9.2 |
| Northampton County, NC | Democratic | D+44.4 |
| Onslow County, NC | Republican | R+19.6 |
| Orange County, NC | Democratic | D+29.1 |
| Pamlico County, NC | Republican | R+1.4 |
| Pasquotank County, NC | Democratic | D+15.8 |
| Pender County, NC | Republican | R+1.1 |
| Perquimans County, NC | Democratic | D+12.7 |
| Person County, NC | Republican | R+3.4 |
| Pitt County, NC | Republican | R+1.8 |
| Polk County, NC | Republican | R+12.0 |
| Randolph County, NC | Republican | R+32.6 |
| Richmond County, NC | Democratic | D+28.1 |
| Robeson County, NC | Democratic | D+33.3 |
| Rockingham County, NC | Republican | R+7.5 |
| Rowan County, NC | Republican | R+23.7 |
| Rutherford County, NC | Republican | R+14.2 |
| Sampson County, NC | Republican | R+0.5 |
| Scotland County, NC | Democratic | D+24.2 |
| Stanly County, NC | Republican | R+21.2 |
| Stokes County, NC | Republican | R+30.7 |
| Surry County, NC | Republican | R+19.0 |
| Swain County, NC | Democratic | D+11.4 |
| Transylvania County, NC | Republican | R+14.7 |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Democratic | D+27.8 |
| Union County, NC | Republican | R+22.1 |
| Vance County, NC | Democratic | D+14.9 |
| Wake County, NC | Republican | R+2.3 |
| Warren County, NC | Democratic | D+36.0 |
| Washington County, NC | Democratic | D+27.1 |
| Watauga County, NC | Republican | R+4.6 |
| Wayne County, NC | Republican | R+17.0 |
| Wilkes County, NC | Republican | R+26.4 |
| Wilson County, NC | Republican | R+3.4 |
| Yadkin County, NC | Republican | R+44.8 |
| Yancey County, NC | Republican | R+0.2 |
North Carolina results by county
100 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance County | Bob Dole+6,647 | 22,46153.7% | 15,81437.8% | 1910.5% | 41,861 |
| Alexander County | Bob Dole+2,793 | 6,74857.5% | 3,95533.7% | 230.2% | 11,730 |
| Alleghany County | Bob Dole+135 | 1,93645.7% | 1,80142.5% | 400.9% | 4,235 |
| Anson County | Bill Clinton+2,697 | 2,19328.8% | 4,89064.2% | 180.2% | 7,613 |
| Ashe County | Bob Dole+1,378 | 5,20352.3% | 3,82538.5% | 490.5% | 9,942 |
| Avery County | Bob Dole+2,284 | 3,87062.8% | 1,58625.8% | 480.8% | 6,159 |
| Beaufort County | Bob Dole+1,982 | 8,15453.6% | 6,17240.6% | 550.4% | 15,215 |
| Bertie County | Bill Clinton+2,457 | 1,74527.8% | 4,20267.0% | 80.1% | 6,271 |
| Bladen County | Bill Clinton+1,617 | 3,33537.2% | 4,95255.3% | 180.2% | 8,960 |
| Brunswick County | Bob Dole+24 | 10,06545.7% | 10,04145.6% | 1020.5% | 22,023 |
| Buncombe County | Bill Clinton+1,140 | 30,51844.2% | 31,65845.8% | 6370.9% | 69,067 |
| Burke County | Bob Dole+2,175 | 13,85349.0% | 11,67841.3% | 1060.4% | 28,291 |
| Cabarrus County | Bob Dole+8,588 | 23,03555.8% | 14,44735.0% | 2020.5% | 41,310 |
| Caldwell County | Bob Dole+4,603 | 12,65355.2% | 8,05035.1% | 1290.6% | 22,931 |
| Camden County | Bill Clinton+112 | 1,07441.9% | 1,18646.2% | 130.5% | 2,566 |
| Carteret County | Bob Dole+4,155 | 11,72156.1% | 7,56636.2% | 1220.6% | 20,876 |
| Caswell County | Bill Clinton+1,002 | 3,31040.6% | 4,31252.9% | 260.3% | 8,158 |
| Catawba County | Bob Dole+11,297 | 26,89858.0% | 15,60133.7% | 2260.5% | 46,354 |
| Chatham County | Bill Clinton+1,622 | 7,73142.0% | 9,35350.8% | 1991.1% | 18,396 |
| Cherokee County | Bob Dole+754 | 3,88349.3% | 3,12939.7% | 861.1% | 7,883 |
| Chowan County | Bill Clinton+580 | 1,65938.8% | 2,23952.4% | 190.4% | 4,276 |
| Clay County | Bob Dole+307 | 1,76948.4% | 1,46240.0% | 371.0% | 3,655 |
| Cleveland County | Bob Dole+746 | 13,47447.7% | 12,72845.1% | 1080.4% | 28,241 |
| Columbus County | Bill Clinton+3,002 | 6,01737.0% | 9,01955.4% | 740.5% | 16,280 |
| Craven County | Bob Dole+2,947 | 13,26452.7% | 10,31741.0% | 820.3% | 25,191 |
| Cumberland County | Bill Clinton+2,935 | 29,80444.8% | 32,73949.2% | 1600.2% | 66,479 |
| Currituck County | Bob Dole+292 | 2,56945.5% | 2,27740.3% | 290.5% | 5,645 |
| Dare County | Bob Dole+455 | 4,97746.0% | 4,52241.8% | 630.6% | 10,820 |
| Davidson County | Bob Dole+11,204 | 24,79758.8% | 13,59332.2% | 1190.3% | 42,207 |
| Davie County | Bob Dole+4,616 | 8,14164.5% | 3,52527.9% | 390.3% | 12,620 |
| Duplin County | Bill Clinton+747 | 5,43243.8% | 6,17949.9% | 150.1% | 12,392 |
| Durham County | Bill Clinton+21,361 | 27,82534.4% | 49,18660.8% | 7771.0% | 80,910 |
| Edgecombe County | Bill Clinton+4,558 | 6,01034.8% | 10,56861.2% | 400.2% | 17,278 |
| Forsyth County | Bob Dole+12,617 | 59,16052.8% | 46,54341.5% | 5830.5% | 112,033 |
| Franklin County | Bill Clinton+800 | 5,64843.4% | 6,44849.5% | 390.3% | 13,026 |
| Gaston County | Bob Dole+13,691 | 33,14958.4% | 19,45834.3% | 2110.4% | 56,739 |
| Gates County | Bill Clinton+1,083 | 1,07230.3% | 2,15560.8% | 80.2% | 3,542 |
| Graham County | Bob Dole+591 | 1,80154.8% | 1,21036.8% | 80.2% | 3,289 |
| Granville County | Bill Clinton+1,249 | 5,49843.0% | 6,74752.7% | 1231.0% | 12,800 |
| Greene County | Bob Dole+465 | 2,68951.7% | 2,22442.8% | 50.1% | 5,198 |
| Guilford County | Bill Clinton+1,481 | 67,72745.9% | 69,20846.9% | 9130.6% | 147,587 |
| Halifax County | Bill Clinton+3,851 | 5,70035.4% | 9,55159.3% | 360.2% | 16,103 |
| Harnett County | Bob Dole+2,829 | 11,59653.3% | 8,76740.3% | 890.4% | 21,739 |
| Haywood County | Bill Clinton+1,355 | 7,99539.8% | 9,35046.6% | 1300.6% | 20,069 |
| Henderson County | Bob Dole+8,556 | 19,18258.7% | 10,62632.5% | 1890.6% | 32,676 |
| Hertford County | Bill Clinton+3,033 | 1,82325.9% | 4,85668.9% | 140.2% | 7,049 |
| Hoke County | Bill Clinton+1,596 | 1,91432.3% | 3,51059.2% | 240.4% | 5,929 |
| Hyde County | Bill Clinton+327 | 78238.3% | 1,10954.3% | 80.4% | 2,042 |
| Iredell County | Bob Dole+8,061 | 21,16356.6% | 13,10235.0% | 1740.5% | 37,409 |
| Jackson County | Bill Clinton+967 | 4,24440.4% | 5,21149.6% | 810.8% | 10,506 |
| Johnston County | Bob Dole+7,529 | 18,70458.2% | 11,17534.8% | 770.2% | 32,119 |
| Jones County | Bill Clinton+147 | 1,68245.3% | 1,82949.2% | 70.2% | 3,715 |
| Lee County | Bob Dole+1,031 | 7,32150.0% | 6,29043.0% | 390.3% | 14,630 |
| Lenoir County | Bob Dole+798 | 9,43349.8% | 8,63545.6% | 350.2% | 18,925 |
| Lincoln County | Bob Dole+3,718 | 11,43954.9% | 7,72137.0% | 710.3% | 20,850 |
| Macon County | Bob Dole+1,058 | 5,26749.3% | 4,20939.4% | 780.7% | 10,675 |
| Madison County | Bill Clinton+223 | 3,11044.2% | 3,33347.4% | 490.7% | 7,030 |
| Martin County | Bill Clinton+910 | 3,59042.0% | 4,50052.6% | 170.2% | 8,552 |
| McDowell County | Bob Dole+1,854 | 6,40752.2% | 4,55337.1% | 430.4% | 12,278 |
| Mecklenburg County | Bill Clinton+5,710 | 97,71945.9% | 103,42948.6% | 1,2240.6% | 212,845 |
| Mitchell County | Bob Dole+2,378 | 3,87465.2% | 1,49625.2% | 270.5% | 5,946 |
| Montgomery County | Bill Clinton+477 | 3,37943.1% | 3,85649.2% | 160.2% | 7,838 |
| Moore County | Bob Dole+4,913 | 14,76055.7% | 9,84737.2% | 1110.4% | 26,479 |
| Nash County | Bob Dole+4,167 | 15,30954.2% | 11,14239.4% | 600.2% | 28,262 |
| New Hanover County | Bob Dole+5,050 | 27,88950.9% | 22,83941.7% | 4260.8% | 54,769 |
| Northampton County | Bill Clinton+3,326 | 1,88125.1% | 5,20769.4% | 90.1% | 7,499 |
| Onslow County | Bob Dole+4,711 | 13,39655.7% | 8,68536.1% | 1110.5% | 24,049 |
| Orange County | Bill Clinton+13,621 | 15,05332.2% | 28,67461.3% | 1,5043.2% | 46,765 |
| Pamlico County | Bob Dole+66 | 2,27047.4% | 2,20446.0% | 190.4% | 4,790 |
| Pasquotank County | Bill Clinton+1,234 | 2,99938.3% | 4,23354.1% | 250.3% | 7,822 |
| Pender County | Bob Dole+129 | 5,53846.4% | 5,40945.3% | 480.4% | 11,940 |
| Perquimans County | Bill Clinton+508 | 1,56138.9% | 2,06951.5% | 160.4% | 4,015 |
| Person County | Bob Dole+343 | 4,88348.7% | 4,54045.3% | 160.2% | 10,030 |
| Pitt County | Bob Dole+672 | 18,22748.0% | 17,55546.2% | 1920.5% | 38,011 |
| Polk County | Bob Dole+812 | 3,51652.0% | 2,70440.0% | 430.6% | 6,756 |
| Randolph County | Bob Dole+12,247 | 23,03061.4% | 10,78328.7% | 1290.3% | 37,535 |
| Richmond County | Bill Clinton+3,591 | 3,97331.0% | 7,56459.1% | 340.3% | 12,801 |
| Robeson County | Bill Clinton+9,215 | 8,14629.4% | 17,36162.7% | 590.2% | 27,671 |
| Rockingham County | Bob Dole+2,159 | 14,25549.2% | 12,09641.8% | 800.3% | 28,959 |
| Rowan County | Bob Dole+9,293 | 22,75457.9% | 13,46134.3% | 1560.4% | 39,273 |
| Rutherford County | Bob Dole+2,630 | 9,79252.7% | 7,16238.6% | 320.2% | 18,571 |
| Sampson County | Bob Dole+91 | 8,24147.8% | 8,15047.3% | 160.1% | 17,232 |
| Scotland County | Bill Clinton+2,012 | 2,85834.4% | 4,87058.7% | 230.3% | 8,299 |
| Stanly County | Bob Dole+4,315 | 11,44656.3% | 7,13135.1% | 660.3% | 20,333 |
| Stokes County | Bob Dole+4,702 | 9,47161.8% | 4,76931.1% | 550.4% | 15,320 |
| Surry County | Bob Dole+3,814 | 11,11755.5% | 7,30336.5% | 630.3% | 20,021 |
| Swain County | Bill Clinton+425 | 1,44438.8% | 1,86950.2% | 80.2% | 3,722 |
| Transylvania County | Bob Dole+1,892 | 6,73452.3% | 4,84237.6% | 1180.9% | 12,877 |
| Tyrrell County | Bill Clinton+420 | 48832.3% | 90860.0% | 50.3% | 1,513 |
| Union County | Bob Dole+7,277 | 18,80257.0% | 11,52535.0% | 1660.5% | 32,970 |
| Vance County | Bill Clinton+1,734 | 4,65140.0% | 6,38554.9% | 240.2% | 11,635 |
| Wake County | Bob Dole+5,206 | 108,78048.2% | 103,57445.9% | 1,5900.7% | 225,755 |
| Warren County | Bill Clinton+2,280 | 1,86129.4% | 4,14165.3% | 180.3% | 6,339 |
| Washington County | Bill Clinton+1,228 | 1,56234.5% | 2,79061.6% | 90.2% | 4,532 |
| Watauga County | Bob Dole+797 | 8,14647.3% | 7,34942.7% | 3121.8% | 17,222 |
| Wayne County | Bob Dole+5,008 | 16,58856.4% | 11,58039.4% | 440.1% | 29,390 |
| Wilkes County | Bob Dole+5,602 | 12,39558.4% | 6,79332.0% | 730.3% | 21,228 |
| Wilson County | Bob Dole+739 | 10,51849.0% | 9,77945.6% | 540.3% | 21,451 |
| Yadkin County | Bob Dole+5,512 | 8,43968.5% | 2,92723.8% | 340.3% | 12,313 |
| Yancey County | Bob Dole+17 | 3,97345.8% | 3,95645.6% | 350.4% | 8,684 |
Nominees: Bill Clinton (D) · Bob Dole (R) · Ross Perot (Reform)
North Carolina's presidential margins
1892–2024, the 1996 contest in context
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1892 | +11.6% |
| 1896 | +5.8% |
| 1900 | +8.5% |
| 1904 | +20.1% |
| 1908 | +8.7% |
| 1912 | +47.3% |
| 1916 | +16.4% |
| 1920 | +13.5% |
| 1924 | +19.4% |
| 1928 | −9.9% |
| 1932 | +40.6% |
| 1936 | +46.8% |
| 1940 | +48.1% |
| 1944 | +33.4% |
| 1948 | +25.3% |
| 1952 | +7.8% |
| 1956 | +1.3% |
| 1960 | +4.2% |
| 1964 | +12.3% |
| 1968 | −10.3% |
| 1972 | −40.6% |
| 1976 | +11.0% |
| 1980 | −2.1% |
| 1984 | −24.0% |
| 1988 | −16.3% |
| 1992 | −0.8% |
| 1996 | −4.7% |
| 2000 | −12.8% |
| 2004 | −12.4% |
| 2008 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | −2.0% |
| 2016 | −3.7% |
| 2020 | −1.3% |
| 2024 | −3.2% |
Same ballot, 1996NC
Source. MIT Election Data + Science Lab — 1996 presidential returns · official county-level results. Real returns — nothing estimated.