1996 West Virginia Secretary of State election
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November 5, 1996
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 County results Hechler: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Hayes: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 1996 West Virginia secretary of state election was held on November 5, 1996 to elect the secretary of state of West Virginia. Democratic incumbent Ken Hechler successfully won a fourth and final term in a landslide, defeating Republican Vernon R. Hayes, Jr. by nearly forty percentage points.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Ken Hechler, incumbent secretary of state of West Virginia (1985–2001)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ken Hechler | 268,393 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 268,393 | 100.0% | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Vernon R. Hayes, Jr.
- Henry L. Thaxton, Christian school administrator
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Vernon R. Hayes, Jr. | 56,931 | 55.0% | |
| Republican | Henry L. Thaxton | 46,547 | 45.0% | |
| Total votes | 103,478 | 100.0% | ||
General election
Candidates
- Ken Hechler, incumbent secretary of state of West Virginia (1985–2001) (Democratic)
- Vernon R. Hayes, Jr. (Republican)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ken Hechler | 396,794 | 69.45% | −0.49 | |
| Republican | Vernon R. Hayes, Jr. | 174,567 | 30.55% | +0.19 | |
| Total votes | 571,361 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
References
- ↑ "1996 Primary Election - Official Returns of the Democratic Party.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 15, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- ↑ "1996 Primary Election - Official Returns of the Republican Party.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 15, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- ↑ "1996 Secretary of State General Election Results - West Virginia". Retrieved May 28, 2026.