1996 Elections in Michigan

The Libertarian Party of Michigan ran the following candidates for public office in the November 1996 elections:

• US Senate: Kenneth L. Proctor: 37,514 votes (1.0%)
• US Representative District 1: Michael Oleniczak: 2,828 votes (1.7%)
• US Representative District 2: Bruce A. Smith: 3,053 votes (1.2%)
• US Representative District 3: Erwin J. Haas: 2,993 votes (1.2%)
• US Representative District 4: Ben Steele III: 2,400 votes (1.0%)
• US Representative District 5: Mark Owen: 2,903 (1.3%)
• US Representative District 6: Scott Beavers: 3,378 (1.6%)
• US Representative District 7: Robert F. Broda: 2,983 votes (1.4%)
• US Representative District 8: Douglas K. MacDonald: 3,810 (1.5%)
• US Representative District 9: Malcolm C. Johnson: 3,464 (1.5%)
• US Representative District 10: Stuart E. Scott: 3,946 votes (1.6%)
• US Representative District 11: Richard Gach: 5,061 votes (1.8%)
• US Representative District 12: Albert J. Titran: 3,323 votes (1.4%)
• US Representative District 13: James F. Montgomery: 3,070 votes (1.5%)
• US Representative District 14: Scott A. Boman: 1,692 votes (0.9%)
• US Representative District 15: Raymond H. Warner: 1,357 votes (0.8%)
• US Representative District 16: Bruce Cain: 3,131 votes (1.4%)
• State Representative District 15: Paul Kane: 1,560 votes (4.1%)
• State Representative District 19: John Tatar: 1,259 votes (3.4%)
• State Representative District 23: Brad Tidik: 614 votes (1.7%)
• State Representative District 24: Jon E. Coon: 4,942 votes (15.4%)
• State Representative District 25: Loel Gnadt: 864 votes (3.2%)
• State Representative District 26: Keith P. Edwards: 863 votes (2.2%)
• State Representative District 27: Thomas R. Sydlow: 963 votes (3.0%)
• State Representative District 29: Mathew R. Ignash: 645 votes (1.7%)
• State Representative District 32: Robert VanOast: 807 votes (2.0%)
• State Representative District 47: Richard Frost: 984 votes (2.5%)
• State Representative District 50: Joe Smolinski: with 62% precincts reporting, 367 votes (2%)
• State Representative District 54: Michael Wirick: 710 votes (2.6%)
• State Representative District 66: Edward D. Wallace: 1,578 votes (3.9%)
• State Representative District 70: Mike Brinkman: 1,037 votes (3.6%)
• State Representative District 78: Thomas A. Baker: 971 votes (3.4%)
• State Representative District 85: Max E. Dollarhite: 822 votes (2.5%)
• State Representative District 108: Leslie J. Ellison: 440 votes (1.2%)
• State Representative District 109: Jerry Pierre-Trettel: 400 votes (1.3%)
• State Representative District 110: Robert Black: 744 votes (2.1%)
• State Board of Education: Diane Barnes: 154,173 votes (2.4%)
• State Board of Education: Barbara B. Goushaw: 98,691 votes (1.5%)
• Regent of the University of Michican: William W. Hall: 119,492 (1.9%)
• Regent of the University of Michican: Calvin J. Matle: 86,522 votes (1.4%)
• Trustee of Michigan State University: Michael H. Miller: 111,077 (1.8%)
• Trustee of Michigan State University: Brian A. Kluesner: 82,633 (1.3%)
• Governor of Wayne State University: Stacy VanOast: 107,457 votes (1.7%)
• Governor of Wayne State University: Thomas W. Jones: 91,862 votes (1.5%)
• Berrien County Commissioner District 2: James Kuhn
• Ionia County Commissioner District 4: Richard L. Whitelock: 200 votes (10.8%)
• Ionia County Commissioner District 5: William Bartelt: 59 votes (2.9%)
• Ionia County Commissioner District 8: William Warner: 144 votes (8.2%)
• Kalkaska County Prosecutor: Jerold T. Coon
• Kent County Commissioner District 10: Glenn A. Barr: 501 votes (4.0%)
• Kent County Commissioner District 11: Gregory Pattok: 248 votes (2.2%)
• Kent County Commissioner District 15: Todd Greene: 247 votes (3.9%)
• Kent County Commissioner District 17: Dan Marsh: 141 votes (2.4%)
• Kent County Commissioner District 18: Steve Butler: 279 votes (2.8%)
• Kent County Sheriff: Steve Warren: 6,427 votes (3.1%)
• Lenawee County Sheriff: Bart Tinder
• Livingston County Clerk: Richard A. Samul: 3,889 votes (10.1%)
• Macomb County Clerk: Dennis M. Jacques II: 9,511 votes (3.5%)
• Macomb County Commissioner District 4: Ronald L. Burcham: 308 votes (2.7%)
• Macomb County Commissioner District 6: Laurel Pietrangelo: 218 votes (2.0%)
• Macomb County Commissioner District 8: Paul M. Soyk: 329 votes (2.6%)
• Macomb County Commissioner District 11: Russell Kohler: 425 votes (3.9%)
• Macomb County Commissioner District 13: James McAbee: 489 votes (4.1%)
• Macomb County Commissioner District 18: Mark F. Heil: 323 votes (3.2%)
• Macomb County Commissioner District 21: Bill Carver: 469 votes (4.3%)
• Ottawa County Commissioner District 7: Jeffrey TerHaar: 931 votes (15.5%)
• Ottawa County Commissioner District 13: Russ Smith: 615 votes (12.0%)
• Wayne County Commissioner District 9: Kerry Smith: 1,977 votes (3.9%)
• Arcadia Township Trustee: Mike Woodall
• Clinton Township Trustee: Brian Wisneski: 279 votes (46.6%, winner of one of two slots)
• Hamburg Township Trustee: Matthew Dickinson: 962 votes (20.8%)
• Superior Township Park Commissioner: Brett Cashman: 925 votes (47.6%, winner of one of six slots)
• Sylvan Township Trustee: James L. Hudler: 387 votes (20.8%)
• Ypsilanti Township Trustee: Geoffrey Foster: 2,567 votes (24.1%)

The two winning candidates won by default. Brian Wisneski was one of two candidates running for Clinton Township Trustee, in which the top two get elected (however, he did beat a Republican write-in challenger). Brett Cashman was one of four candidates running for Superior Township Park Commissioner, in which the top six get elected. Regardless of the electoral significance of these positions, having officeholders of any type increases the party's respect and builds experience for future higher office.

In the same election, voters approved a ballot initiative to legalize limited casino gambling in Detroit.

Libertarians also ran in some nonpartisan races:

• Justice of the Supreme Court: Jerry J. Kaufman: 314,834 votes (6.1%)
• Justice of the Supreme Court: David Raaflaub: 85,714 (1.7%)

The vote totals for the Libertarian presidential ticket in Michigan were about 50% more than required to retain ballot status through the 1998 elections.