The 1996 Utah gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1996. Republican nominee and incumbent Governor Michael Leavitt easily won reelection.
Primary election Democrat E. James Bradley, who had been elected as a Salt Lake County Commissioner in 1990 and lost re-election in 1994, announced his candidacy on March 18, 1996, the last day for candidates to file. If he had not run, it was likely the Democratic party would not have had a candidate on the ballot.Bernick, Bob, Jr. (19 March 1996). Demos Get Bradley To Step Forward, The Deseret News
Utah held a primary election on June 25, 1996. All candidates in the gubernatorial election were nominated without opposition and no names of gubernatorial candidates appeared on the ballot.
General election Campaign In a poll released in early April 1996, Bradley trailed Leavitt by 63 points.Bernick, Bob, Jr. (9 April 1996). Jim who? Bradley trailing Leavitt, The Deseret News Leavitt, with high popularity ratings as the incumbent Governor, maintained a formidable lead in subsequent polls as well.(17 July 1996). Dole, Leavitt and Graham Lead in Utah, The Deseret News
Leavitt and Bradley participated in a televised debate on October 26, 1996, at Brigham Young University. Winning by the greatest margin in the state's history, Leavitt won every county. Leavitt outspent Bradley four times over in his campaign, and raised over $650,000.
Candidates Major party candidates Mike Leavitt, Republican Jim Bradley, Democratic
Other candidates Ken Larsen, Independent American Dub Richards, Independent Robert C. Lesh, Natural Law
Results
Results by county County Mike LeavittRepublican Jim BradleyDemocratic All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Beaver1,76080.88%39218.01%241.10%1,36862.87%2,176Box Elder11,69585.71%1,76212.91%1881.38%9,93372.80%13,645Cache22,87285.10%3,61413.45%3921.46%19,25871.65%26,878Carbon4,21554.88%3,36543.81%1011.31%85011.07%7,681Daggett29272.46%10826.80%30.74%18445.66%403Davis57,13780.38%12,81018.02%1,1401.60%44,32762.36%71,087Duchesne3,54583.33%65515.40%541.27%2,89067.94%4,254Emery3,23678.18%83520.17%681.64%2,40158.01%4,139Garfield1,58257.60%21511.90%90.50%1,36775.69%1,806Grand2,06663.03%1,09433.37%1183.60%97229.65%3,278Iron8,60887.20%1,10511.19%1581.60%7,50376.01%9,871Juab1,96776.57%57322.30%291.13%1,39454.26%2,569Kane2,05486.59%27411.55%441.85%1,78075.04%2,372Millard3,65284.32%59913.83%801.85%3,05370.49%4,331Morgan2,39582.70%48016.57%210.73%1,91566.13%2,896Piute60986.38%9513.48%10.14%51472.91%705Rich67585.44%10913.80%60.76%56671.65%790Salt Lake189,68067.15%87,17030.86%5,6392.00%102,51036.29%282,489San Juan2,49260.91%1,55037.89%491.20%94223.03%4,091Sanpete5,08881.04%1,05316.77%1372.18%4,03564.27%6,278Sevier5,48686.94%74111.74%831.32%4,74575.20%6,310Summit6,09664.95%3,10133.04%1882.00%2,99531.91%9,385Tooele6,67670.27%2,66428.04%1611.69%4,01242.23%9,501Uintah6,13381.33%1,26416.76%1441.91%4,86964.57%7,541Utah86,85287.20%11,50811.55%1,2381.24%75,34475.65%99,598Wasatch3,37077.70%91521.10%521.20%2,45556.61%4,337Washington21,32484.70%3,51213.95%3411.35%17,81270.75%25,177Wayne96384.85%16214.27%100.88%80170.57%1,135Weber41,17372.04%14,89126.05%1,0921.91%26,28245.98%57,156Total503,69374.97%156,61623.31%11,5701.72%347,07751.66%671,879
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Carbon Summit
Counties that flipped from Independent to Republican Tooele Weber
References