See main article: 1896 United States presidential election.
| Election Name: | 1896 United States presidential election in Rhode Island |
| Country: | Rhode Island |
| Flag Year: | 1882 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1892 United States presidential election in Rhode Island |
| Previous Year: | 1892 |
| Next Election: | 1900 United States presidential election in Rhode Island |
| Next Year: | 1900 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 1896 |
| Image1: | William McKinley by Courtney Art Studio, 1896 (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | William McKinley |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Home State1: | Ohio |
| Running Mate1: | Garret Hobart |
| Electoral Vote1: | 4 |
| Popular Vote1: | 37,437 |
| Percentage1: | 68.33% |
| Nominee2: | William Jennings Bryan |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Home State2: | Nebraska |
| Running Mate2: | Arthur Sewall |
| Electoral Vote2: | 0 |
| Popular Vote2: | 14,459 |
| Percentage2: | 26.39% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Grover Cleveland |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | William McKinley |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1896 United States presidential election in Rhode Island took place on November 3, 1896, as part of the 1896 United States presidential election. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Rhode Island voted for the Republican nominee, former governor of Ohio William McKinley, over the Democratic nominee, former U.S. Representative from Nebraska William Jennings Bryan. McKinley won the state by a wide margin of 41.94%.
Bryan, running on a platform of free silver, appealed strongly to Western miners and farmers in the 1896 election, but had little appeal in Northeastern states like Rhode Island.
With 68.33% of the popular vote, Rhode Island would be McKinley's fourth strongest victory in terms of percentage in the popular vote after Vermont, neighboring Massachusetts and New Hampshire.[1]
Bryan would lose Rhode Island to McKinley again four years later and would later lose the state again in 1908 to William Howard Taft.