US Election 1896 Map
William McKinley won the 1896 election, defeating William Jennings Bryan. This map shows McKinley strong in the Northeast, Midwest, and parts of the West. Bryan carried most of the South and some western states. The result reflected a nation divided between industrial North and agricultural South.
Map Information
US Election Maps
Click on a map below to check out the US election map and results.
On the Map
The 1896 Presidential Election map illustrates one of the most dramatic “realigning” elections in American history. It pitted William McKinley (Republican) against William Jennings Bryan (Democrat/Populist) in a fierce battle over the gold standard versus “free silver.”
States and Electoral Votes
|
State |
Total Votes |
McKinley (R) |
Bryan (D/P) |
|
New York |
36 |
36 |
0 |
|
Pennsylvania |
32 |
32 |
0 |
|
Illinois |
24 |
24 |
0 |
|
Ohio |
23 |
23 |
0 |
|
Missouri |
17 |
0 |
17 |
|
Indiana |
15 |
15 |
0 |
|
Texas |
15 |
0 |
15 |
|
Massachusetts |
15 |
15 |
0 |
|
Kentucky |
13 |
12 |
1 |
|
Iowa |
13 |
13 |
0 |
|
Georgia |
13 |
0 |
13 |
|
Tennessee |
12 |
0 |
12 |
|
Michigan |
14 |
14 |
0 |
|
Virginia |
12 |
0 |
12 |
|
North Carolina |
11 |
0 |
11 |
|
Wisconsin |
12 |
12 |
0 |
|
New Jersey |
10 |
10 |
0 |
|
Kansas |
10 |
0 |
10 |
|
Alabama |
11 |
0 |
11 |
|
California |
9 |
8 |
1 |
|
South Carolina |
9 |
0 |
9 |
|
Maryland |
8 |
8 |
0 |
|
Mississippi |
9 |
0 |
9 |
|
Louisiana |
8 |
0 |
8 |
|
Arkansas |
8 |
0 |
8 |
|
Nebraska |
8 |
0 |
8 |
|
Maine |
6 |
6 |
0 |
|
Minnesota |
9 |
9 |
0 |
|
West Virginia |
6 |
6 |
0 |
|
Connecticut |
6 |
6 |
0 |
|
Colorado |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Washington |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Oregon |
4 |
4 |
0 |
|
New Hampshire |
4 |
4 |
0 |
|
Vermont |
4 |
4 |
0 |
|
Rhode Island |
4 |
4 |
0 |
|
Florida |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
South Dakota |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
North Dakota |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
Delaware |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
Montana |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Wyoming |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Idaho |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Nevada |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Utah |
3 |
0 |
3 |
Election Summary
- The Winner: William McKinley (Republican) won with 271 electoral votes (61%).
- The Challenger: William Jennings Bryan (Democrat) received 176 electoral votes (39%).
- The Sectional Split: The map shows a stark divide: McKinley swept the industrialized Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast, while Bryan carried the agrarian South and the silver-mining Mountain West.
- Popular Vote: McKinley won 51% (7,112,138) to Bryan’s 46.7% (6,510,807).
- New State: Utah (3) voted for the first time, going heavily for Bryan due to the “Free Silver” platform.