1996 Elections in New Hampshire

The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire ran the following candidates for office in November 1996:

• US Senate: Ken Blevens: final count 21,366 votes (4.4%)
• US Representative District 1: Gary Flanders: with incomplete returns, 7,811 votes (3%)
• Governor: Robert Kingsbury: final count 5,584 votes (1.1%)
• State Executive Council: Peter Gamble
• State Representative District 14: James K. Wallack: 2,771 votes (16%)
• State Representative Rockingham District 8: Don Gorman (incumbent): 1,196 votes (23%)

Blevens's Senate bid held the balance of power in that election, with the Republican getting 49% and the Democrat getting 46%. This race was closely watched as being one the Democrats might pick up, and early returns forecasted that they would get it.

The Libertarian Party lost ballot status in New Hampshire. Kingsbury would have had to win 3% of the vote for the party to retain ballot status. To get on the 1998 ballot, the party will have to collect 2,000 petition signatures.

The Libertarian Party lost its only state representative in the nation when a Democratic challenger unseated incumbent Don Gorman.