1996 West Virginia Senate election

none 1996 West Virginia Senate election West Virginia Legislative Popular No These seats' last election (1992) These seats' next election (2000) 1994 West Virginia Senate election 1994 1998 West Virginia Senate election 1998 17 out of 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate 18 November 5, 1996 150x150px File:Earl_Ray_Tomblin_2_(cropped).jpg Earl Ray Tomblin Democratic Party (United States) January 3, 1995 District 7 26 25 1 365,723 67.15% File:Donna_Boley.jpg Donna Boley Republican Party (United States) January 9, 1991 District 3 8 9 1 178,877 32.85% President Earl Ray Tomblin Democratic Party (United States) Earl Ray Tomblin Democratic Party (United States) 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.https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/publications/bluebook/WVS_Bluebook_1997.pdf West Virginia Blue Book 1997 wvlegislature.gov December 10, 2025http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/history/electionreturns/Documents/1996/1996%20General%20Election%20-%20Official%20Election%20Returns.pdf 1996 General Election Results West Virginia Secretary of State December 10, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123937/http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/history/electionreturns/Documents/1996/1996%20General%20Election%20-%20Official%20Election%20Returns.pdf March 4, 2016 dead 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%: blue District 4, 2.04% red District 8, 2.98% (gain) red District 1, 6.96% (gain) Results District 1 District 1 election, 1996 Republican Party (United States) Andy McKenzie 19,158 53.48% Democratic Party (United States) Thais Blatnik (incumbent) 16,666 46.52% 35,824 100.0% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) District 2 District 2 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Larry Wiedebusch (incumbent) 18,285 57.19% Republican Party (United States) Donald A. Haskins 13,685 42.81% 31,970 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 3 District 3 election, 1996 Republican Party (United States) Donna Boley (incumbent) 26,632 70.62% Democratic Party (United States) Louis F. Flade 11,079 29.38% 37,711 100.0% Republican Party (United States) District 4 District 4 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Robert Dittmar (incumbent) 20,861 51.02% Republican Party (United States) Bobby Brown 20,024 48.98% 40,885 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 5 District 5 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Robert H. Plymale (incumbent) 21,023 100.0% 21,023 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 6 District 6 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) John Pat Fanning 20,192 100.0% 20,192 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 7 District 7 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Earl Ray Tomblin (incumbent) 25,396 81.45% Republican Party (United States) Stephen Ray Smith 5,783 18.55% 31,179 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 8 District 8 election, 1996 Republican Party (United States) Vic Sprouse 36,042 51.49% Democratic Party (United States) David Grubb (incumbent) 33,957 48.51% 69,999 100.0% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) District 9 District 9 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Billy Wayne Bailey (incumbent) 20,795 83.59% Republican Party (United States) R. Joseph Whelan 4,081 16.41% 24,876 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 10 District 10 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Homer K. Ball 23,754 100.0% 23,754 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 11 District 11 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Shirley Love (incumbent) 24,769 72.36% Republican Party (United States) Jim Gilkeson 9,462 27.64% 34,231 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 12 District 12 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) William R. Sharpe Jr. (incumbent) 25,767 66.87% Republican Party (United States) David Craft 12,765 33.13% 38,532 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 13 District 13 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Roman Prezioso 30,773 100.0% 30,773 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 14 District 14 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Jon Blair Hunter 21,195 57.36% Republican Party (United States) Thomas H. Hudgins Jr. 15,753 42.64% 36,948 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 15 District 15 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Mike Ross (incumbent) 27,314 100.0% 27,314 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) District 16 District 16 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Herb Snyder 19,277 55.44% Republican Party (United States) Mel Bowers Jr. 15,492 44.56% 34,769 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) District 17 District 17 election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Martha Yeager Walker (incumbent) 46,201 100.0% 46,201 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) References Category:1996 West Virginia elections Category:West Virginia Senate elections Category:November 1996 in the United States West Virginia Senate election