# 1996 Montana gubernatorial election

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The 1996 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Governor of Montana Marc Racicot, who was first elected in 1992, ran for re-election. After winning the Republican primary against a conservative activist, he moved on to the general election, where he was set to face Chet Blaylock, a former State Senator and the Democratic nominee. However, on October 23, 1996, Blaylock died of a heart attack, and the Montana Democratic Party selected his running mate, State Senator Judy Jacobson, to replace him, and she therefore became both the gubernatorial nominee and the lieutenant gubernatorial nominee. Ultimately, Racicot defeated Jacobson in a landslide to win re-election to his second and final term as governor.
As of 2025, this is the last time that the winning gubernatorial nominee carried all counties in Montana. This election was the first time since 1956 and the last until 2024 when an incumbent Republican Governor of Montana was re-elected.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Chet Blaylock, former State Senator
* Bob Kelleher, perennial candidate

### Results

Democratic Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chet Blaylock | 55,120 | 74.61 |
| | Democratic | Bob Kelleher | 18,761 | 25.39 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 73,881 | 100.00 |
Note: Following Blaylock's death, Judy Jacobson, his running mate, was selected to replace him on the ballot as the Democratic nominee.

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Marc Racicot, incumbent Governor of Montana
* Rob Natelson, conservative activist and constitutional law professor

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Marc Racicot (incumbent) | 92,644 | 76.37 |
| | Republican | Rob Natelson | 28,672 | 23.63 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 121,316 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Results

Montana gubernatorial election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Marc Racicot (incumbent) | 320,768 | 79.17% | +27.82% |
| | Democratic | Judy Jacobson | 84,407 | 20.83% | −27.82% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 236,361 | 58.34% | +55.64% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 405,175 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |