Elections / 1996 · Senate · MN
The Democratic candidate won Minnesota's Senate seat D+9.0.
Minnesota, 1996. Candidate results and statewide totals below. The presidential race shared this ballot.
Minnesota — 1996 Senate result
Source: MIT Election Data + Science Lab, 1976–2024 Senate returns (party-classified by literal ballot party).
Democratic (D)
1,098,430
50.3%
Republican (R)
901,194
41.3%
All others
182,151
8.3%
Margin
D+9.0
Candidates
Statewide candidate totals — MIT Election Data + Science Lab, 1996 Senate returns.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Wellstone | DDemocratic-Farmer-Labor | 1,098,430 | 50.3% |
| Rudy Boschwitz | RRepublican | 901,194 | 41.3% |
| Dean Barkley | OReform | 152,328 | 7.0% |
| Tim Davis | OGrassroots | 14,139 | 0.6% |
| Roy Ezra Carlton | OLibertarian | 5,428 | 0.2% |
| Howard B. Hanson | OResource | 4,381 | 0.2% |
| Steve Johnson | ONatural Law | 4,321 | 0.2% |
| Thomas A. Fiske | OSocialist Workers | 1,554 | 0.1% |
Minnesota's Senate margins
Every contest in our store, 1976–2024
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1976 | +42.5% |
| 1978 | −16.2% |
| 1982 | −6.0% |
| 1984 | −16.8% |
| 1988 | −15.3% |
| 1990 | +2.6% |
| 1994 | −5.0% |
| 1996 | +9.0% |
| 2000 | +5.5% |
| 2002 | −1.7% |
| 2006 | +20.1% |
| 2008 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | +34.7% |
| 2014 | +10.2% |
| 2018 | +24.1% |
| 2020 | +5.2% |
| 2024 | +15.7% |