1996 West Virginia Senate election
November 5, 1996
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17 out of 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate 18 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in West Virginia |
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The 1996 West Virginia Senate election was held on November 5, 1996, to determine which party would control the West Virginia Senate for the following two years in the 73rd West Virginia legislature. Half out of the 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate were up for election. Prior to the election, 26 seats were held by Democrats and 8 seats were held by Republicans. The general election saw Republicans flip a single seat, meaning that Democrats retained their majority in the State Senate.[1][2]
Retirements
Democrats
- District 6: A. Keith Wagner retired.
- District 10: Tony E. Whitlow retired.
- District 13: Joe Manchin retired.
- District 14: Charles B. Felton Jr. retired.
Republicans
- District 16: John C. Yoder retired.
Defeated incumbents
In general
Democrats
- District 1: Thais Blatnik lost re-election to Andy McKenzie.
- District 8: David Grubb lost re-election to Vic Sprouse.
Closest races
Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
- District 4, 2.04%
- District 8, 2.98% (gain)
- District 1, 6.96% (gain)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Andy McKenzie | 19,158 | 53.48% | |
| Democratic | Thais Blatnik (incumbent) | 16,666 | 46.52% | |
| Total votes | 35,824 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Larry Wiedebusch (incumbent) | 18,285 | 57.19% | |
| Republican | Donald A. Haskins | 13,685 | 42.81% | |
| Total votes | 31,970 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Donna Boley (incumbent) | 26,632 | 70.62% | |
| Democratic | Louis F. Flade | 11,079 | 29.38% | |
| Total votes | 37,711 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert Dittmar (incumbent) | 20,861 | 51.02% | |
| Republican | Bobby Brown | 20,024 | 48.98% | |
| Total votes | 40,885 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert H. Plymale (incumbent) | 21,023 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 21,023 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Pat Fanning | 20,192 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 20,192 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (incumbent) | 25,396 | 81.45% | |
| Republican | Stephen Ray Smith | 5,783 | 18.55% | |
| Total votes | 31,179 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Vic Sprouse | 36,042 | 51.49% | |
| Democratic | David Grubb (incumbent) | 33,957 | 48.51% | |
| Total votes | 69,999 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Billy Wayne Bailey (incumbent) | 20,795 | 83.59% | |
| Republican | R. Joseph Whelan | 4,081 | 16.41% | |
| Total votes | 24,876 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Homer K. Ball | 23,754 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 23,754 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Shirley Love (incumbent) | 24,769 | 72.36% | |
| Republican | Jim Gilkeson | 9,462 | 27.64% | |
| Total votes | 34,231 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | William R. Sharpe Jr. (incumbent) | 25,767 | 66.87% | |
| Republican | David Craft | 12,765 | 33.13% | |
| Total votes | 38,532 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Roman Prezioso | 30,773 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 30,773 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jon Blair Hunter | 21,195 | 57.36% | |
| Republican | Thomas H. Hudgins Jr. | 15,753 | 42.64% | |
| Total votes | 36,948 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Ross (incumbent) | 27,314 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 27,314 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Herb Snyder | 19,277 | 55.44% | |
| Republican | Mel Bowers Jr. | 15,492 | 44.56% | |
| Total votes | 34,769 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Martha Yeager Walker (incumbent) | 46,201 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 46,201 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
References
- ^ "West Virginia Blue Book 1997" (PDF). wvlegislature.gov. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ^ "1996 General Election Results" (PDF). West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2025.