1996 Kentucky Senate election should not be confused with 1996 United States Senate election in Kentucky.
| Election Name: | 1996 Kentucky Senate election |
| Country: | Kentucky |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1994 Kentucky Senate election |
| Previous Year: | 1994 |
| Next Election: | 1998 Kentucky Senate election |
| Next Year: | 1998 |
| Seats For Election: | 19 out of 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate |
| Majority Seats: | 20 |
| Election Date: | November 5, 1996 |
| 1Blank: | Seats up |
| 2Blank: | Races won |
| Leader1: | Larry Saunders |
| Color1: | d9b2d9 |
| Party1: | Coalition |
| Leaders Seat1: | 37th – Louisville |
| Leader Since1: | January 7, 1997 |
| Last Election1: | – |
| Seats1: | 5 |
| Seat Change1: | 5 |
| 1Data1: | – |
| 2Data1: | – |
| Leader2: | Dan Kelly |
| Party2: | Republican Party of Kentucky |
| Leaders Seat2: | 14th – Springfield |
| Leader Since2: | November 12, 1994 |
| Last Election2: | 17 |
| Seats2: | 18 |
| Seat Change2: | 1 |
| 1Data2: | 7 |
| 2Data2: | 8 |
| Leader3: | John A. Rose |
| Party3: | Kentucky Democratic Party |
| Leaders Seat3: | 28th – Winchester |
| Leader Since3: | January 5, 1993 |
| Last Election3: | 21 |
| Seats3: | 15 |
| Seat Change3: | 6 |
| 1Data3: | 12 |
| 2Data3: | 11 |
| Senate President | |
| Before Election: | John A. Rose |
| Before Party: | Kentucky Democratic Party |
| After Election: | Larry Saunders |
| After Party: | Coalition government |
The 1996 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 5, 1996. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 28. Half of the senate (all odd-numbered seats) were up for election. Despite the Democratic Party maintaining a majority of 20 seats, five members joined all 18 Republicans to elect Larry Saunders the President of the Senate. This gave Republicans effective control of the Senate for the first time since 1920.[1]
A numbered map of the senate districts at the time can be viewed here.
| Party | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposed | Unopposed | Before | Won | After | +/− | ||||||
| Democratic | 16 | 2 | 322,901 | 54.23 | 21 | 11 | 20 | style="text-align:right;" | -1 | ||
| Republican | 16 | 1 | 272,485 | 45.77 | 17 | 8 | 18 | +1 | |||
| Total | 32 | 3 | 595,386 | 100.00 | 38 | 19 | 38 | ±0 | |||
| Source: Kentucky Secretary of State | |||||||||||
One senator retired, who did not run for another office. Additionally, Mike Moloney resigned from the senate on July 31, 1996.
Two incumbents lost renomination in the primary election, and two incumbents lost reelection in the general election.
Two Democrats lost renomination.
No Republicans lost renomination.
One Democrat lost reelection to a Republican.
One Republican lost reelection to a Democrat.
Certified results by the Kentucky Secretary of State are available online for the primary election and general election.
† – Incumbent not seeking re-election
Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
Richard "Richie" Sanders was elected in June 1996 following the resignation of Walter Arnold Baker.
Incumbent senator Jeff Green won reelection unopposed.
Incumbent senator Joey Pendleton won reelection, defeating Republican John Young.
Incumbent senator Virgil Moore won reelection, defeating Democrat Joe M. Hager.
Incumbent senator Lindy Casebier won reelection, defeating Democrat Charles W. Miller.
Incumbent senator Richard "Richie" Sanders won reelection, defeating Democrat John "Jake" D. Dickinson.
Incumbent senator Richard L. "Dick" Roeding won reelection, defeating Democrat Sandra Easton.
Incumbent senator Mike Moloney resigned from the senate in July 1996. He was succeeded by Democrat Ernesto Scorsone, who was elected in both the regular election and a special election for the remainder of Moloney's term.
Incumbent senator James D. Crase did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Vernie McGaha.
Incumbent Democratic senator Charlie Berger was defeated for renomination by Glenn Freeman.
Incumbent senator Tim Shaughnessy won reelection, defeating Republican Barbara "Bobbie" Holsclaw.
Incumbent senator Albert L. Robinson won reelection, defeating primary election challengers.
Incumbent senator Joseph U. Meyer was defeated for reelection by Republican Jack Westwood.
Incumbent senator John David Preston was redistricted to the 29th district and was succeeded by Robert Stivers.
Incumbent senator Walter "Doc" Blevins won reelection, defeating Republican Randy Memmer.
Incumbent senator Benny Ray Bailey won reelection, defeating Republican senator John David Preston, who had been redistricted from the 25th district.
Incumbent Democratic senator Kelsey E. Friend Sr. was defeated for renomination by Gary C. Johnson.
Incumbent senator Gerald A. Neal won reelection unopposed.
Incumbent senator David K. Karem won reelection, defeating Republican Bruce McCrea.
Incumbent senator Larry Saunders won reelection, defeating Republican William C. Cothron.