Behind the Votes

L.A. Times Archives

Nov. 7, 1996 12 AM PT

While the balance of power between the two parties in Congress did not change drastically in Tuesday’s vote, the balance within each party did shift. Overall, Democrats gained strength mostly in northern states, while Republicans bolstered their power mostly in the South. The result will deepen the regional split that set the tone for many of the congressional debates of the last two years.

TURNOUT

For the record:

12:00 a.m. Nov. 8, 1996 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Friday November 8, 1996 Home Edition Part A Page 3 Metro Desk 2 inches; 54 words Type of Material: Correction
Exit poll--A chart of exit poll data in Thursday’s Times indicated that Asian American voters nationwide favored Bob Dole over Bill Clinton by 54% to 38%. Those numbers accurately reported the division in the exit poll sample, but the number of Asian Americans polled was too small for reliable statistical measurement. The actual division of Asian American votes nationwide is unknown.

Voting returns showed that the percentage of registered voters who went to the polls fell to a record low of 49%. Clinton defeated Bush in 1992 with a voter turnout of 55.23%. Percentage of each state’s voting-age population that cast ballots in 1996 and 1992 presidential elections.

*--*

State 1996 turnout Change from ’92 Ala. 47% -8% Alaska 47 -7 Ariz. 43 -11 Ark. 44 -10 Calif. 48 -1 Colo. 51 -12 Conn. 54 -10 Del. 50 -5 D.C. 43 -7 Fla. 46 -4 Ga. 41 -6 Hawaii 47 +5 Idaho 58 -7 Ill. 48 -11 Ind. 52 -3 Iowa 53 -12 Kan. 56 -7 Ky. 46 -8 La. 55 -5 Maine 63 -9 Md. 45 -8 Mass. 56 -9 Mich. NA NA Minn. 67 -5 Miss. 44 -9 Mo. 55 -5 Mont. 65 -5 Neb. 47 -16 Nev. NA NA N.H. 57 -6 N.J. 50 -6 N.M. 48 -4 N.Y. 42 -9 N.C. 46 -4 N.D. 59 -8 Ohio 51 -10 Okla. 51 -9 Ore. 54 -12 Pa. 48 -6 R.I. 50 -8 S.C. 41 -4 S.D. 57 -10 Tenn. 51 -1 Texas 45 -4 Utah 49 -16 Vt. 57 -11 Va. 48 -5 Wash. NA NA W.Va. 42 -9 Wis. 59 -10 Wyo. 57 -5 U.S. 49 -6

*--*

House Seats

(Numbers represent House seats)

* States where Republicans gained seats

Utah: 3

Montana: 1

South Dakota: 1

Oklahoma: 6

Texas: 30

Missouri: 9

Mississippi: 5

Alabama: 7

Kentucky: 6

* States where Democrats gained seats

Washington: 9

California: 52

Iowa: 5

Wisconsin: 9

Michigan: 16

Ohio: 19

Maine: 2

Massachusetts: 10

New York: 31

Connecticut: 6

New Jersey: 13

North Carolina: 12

* No change

Oregon: 5

Nevada: 2

Idaho: 2

Arizona: 6

New Mexico: 3

Colorado: 6

Wyoming: 1

North Dakota: 1

Minnesota: 6

Nebraska: 3

Kansas: 4

Arkansas: 4

Louisiana: 7

Illinois: 20

Indiana: 10

Tennessee: 9

New Hampshire: 2

Vermont: 1

Rhode Island: 2

Pennsylvania: 21

West Virginia: 3

Virginia: 11

Delaware:1

Maryland: 8

District of Columbia: 1

South Carolina: 6

Georgia: 11

Florida: 23

Alaska: 1

Hawaii: 2

***

West (Alaska and Hawaii included)

Clinton: 44%

Dole: 44%

Perot: 9%

Midwest

Clinton: 51%

Dole: 37%

Perot: 11%

South

Clinton: 45%

Dole: 47%

Perot: 7%

East

Clinton: 57%

Dole: 34%

Perot: 7%

NATIONAL GENERAL ELECTION EXIT POLL

Highlights from Los Angeles Times exit poll on Tuesday.

*--*

Clinton Dole Perot Liberal Democrats 95% 2 2 Other Democrats 84% 9 6 Other independents 53% 27 18 Conservative independents 13% 66 18 Other Republicans 18% 74 8 Conservative Republicans 3% 92 4

*--*

***

MEN

Clinton: 42%

Dole: 46%

Perot: 10%

***

WOMEN

Clinton: 54%

Dole: 38%

Perot: 7%

***