1996 West Virginia gubernatorial election

The 1996 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1996 to elect the Governor of West Virginia. Republican Cecil Underwood, who had previously been the Governor of West Virginia from 1957 to 1961, defeated Democratic State Senator Charlotte Pritt. Concurrently, the state voted the opposite way federally, choosing Democratic U.S. Presidential nominee, incumbent Bill Clinton over Republican nominee Bob Dole in the Presidential election that year.

1996 West Virginia gubernatorial election

November 5, 1996

Nominee Cecil Underwood Charlotte Pritt Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 324,518 287,870 Percentage 51.6% 45.8%

County Results Underwood:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Pritt:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Gaston Caperton Democratic Elected Governor Cecil Underwood Republican

Elections in West Virginia
Federal elections Presidential Elections 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Presidential Primaries Democratic Primaries 2008 2016 2020 Republican Caucuses 2008 2012 2016 U.S. Senate Elections 1958 1964 1970 1978 1982 1984 1988 1994 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 U.S. House Elections 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 (2nd) 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 Special elections 2010 (special)
State government Gubernatorial elections 1863 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2011 (special) 2012 2016 2020

Pritt was the first woman to secure the West Virginia gubernatorial nomination of either of the two major political parties. As of 2020, this is the most recent election in which a Republican was elected Governor of West Virginia. Former Republican Jim Justice was elected in the 2016 election as a Democrat and later switched back to the Republican Party seven months into his term, making him the first Republican governor since 2001 when Underwood left office.