Who won South Carolina in the 1996 presidential election?

Dole (Republican) carried South Carolina in 1996, winning its 8 electoral votes.

How many electoral votes did South Carolina have in 1996?

South Carolina cast 8 electoral votes in the 1996 presidential election.

Did South Carolina vote for the national winner in 1996?

No. South Carolina backed Dole, while Bill Clinton won the presidency nationally.

Modern PolarizationSC · 8 EV

1996

South Carolina: Dole carries 8 EV.

South Carolina cast its 8 electoral votes for Dole (Republican). National winner: Bill Clinton (Democratic) — South Carolina voted against the national winner this cycle.

What happened in South Carolina, 1996

In 1996, South Carolina awarded its 8 electoral votes to Dole of the Republican party. The presidency went elsewhere: Bill Clinton (Democratic) won nationally, while South Carolina had backed a different ticket.

South Carolina stayed in the Republican column for the 5th straight cycle, extending a run that began in 1980. South Carolina did not move alone — neighboring Georgia and North Carolina broke the same way in 1996. Over its 59 recorded presidential cycles, South Carolina has backed the Democratic party more than any other — 28 times in all. The vote fell within the Modern Polarization — Close elections in a divided country.

Nationally, Bill Clinton finished with 379 of the 538 electoral votes to Bob Dole's 159. Bill Clinton led the national popular vote with 49.23% of the ballots cast.

The 1996 national map

South Carolina full history →