| Country: | Isle of Man |
| Type: | Parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 1991 Manx general election |
| Previous Year: | 1991 |
| Next Election: | 2001 Manx general election |
| Next Year: | 2001 |
| Seats For Election: | All 24 seats in the House of Keys |
| Election Date: | 21 November 1996 |
| Party1: | Independents |
| Seats1: | 16 |
| Seat Change1: | 5 |
| Popular Vote1: | 39,052 |
| Percentage1: | 75.02% |
| Swing1: | 15.06 pp |
| Party2: | Alliance for Progressive Government |
| Colour2: | 908c89 |
| Leader2: | Edgar Quine |
| Leaders Seat2: | Ayre (won) |
| Seats2: | 6 |
| Seat Change2: | 6 |
| Popular Vote2: | 7,613 |
| Percentage2: | 14.62% |
| Swing2: | New party |
| Party3: | Manx Labour Party |
| Seats3: | 2 |
| Seat Change3: | 1 |
| Popular Vote3: | 5,392 |
| Percentage3: | 10.36% |
| Swing3: | 0.44 pp |
| Chief Minister | |
| After Election: | Donald Gelling |
| After Party: | Independent politician |
General elections were held on the Isle of Man on the 21 November 1996 to elect members to the island's lower house: the House of Keys. Independents won 16 of the 24 seats, whilst the Manx Labour Party had its worst result since 1971, winning just 2 seats.The Alliance for Progressive Government contested its first general election after its formation following the 1991 Manx general election, returning its 4 MHK's (who had previously ran as independents) and winning 2 new seats.
| Candidate | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
Ayre
| Edgar Quine | 1,247 |
| Hazel Bradley | 167 | |
Castletown
| Tony Brown | 876 |
| Elsie Pickard | 467 | |
| Carol Edge | 102 | |
Douglas East
| Phil Braidwood | 1,289 |
| Brenda Cannell | 836 | |
| Philip Kermode | 593 | |
| Alan Burrows | 381 | |
Douglas North
| John Houghton | 1,493 |
| Alan Crowe | 1,241 | |
| Bernie May | 827 | |
| Brian Crookall | 612 | |
Douglas South
| David Cretney | 2,061 |
| Adrian Duggan | 796 | |
| John Tobin | 755 | |
| Patrick Bell | 530 | |
| Allan Connor | 282 | |
| John Cowley | 247 | |
Douglas West
| John Shimmin | 1,637 |
| Alex Downie | 1,515 | |
| Jim Cain | 911 | |
Garff
| Steve Rodan | 1,257 |
| Stuart McKenzie | 473 | |
| Kenneth Markillie | 52 | |
Glenfaba
| Walter Gilbey | 743 |
| Toni Collister | 312 | |
Malew and Santon
| Donald Gelling | Unopposed |
Michael
| David Cannan | 973 |
| Jennifer Kewley-Draskau | 495 | |
Middle
| David North | 842 |
| Bruce Corfield | 519 | |
Onchan
| Peter Karran | 2,257 |
| Richard Corkill | 1,713 | |
| Ray Kniveton | 1,702 | |
| Richard Leventhorpe | 1,372 | |
| David Quirk | 1,143 | |
| Ellis Killey | 775 | |
| Mark Kermode | 559 | |
Peel
| Hazel Hannan | 1042 |
| Christine Moughton | 477 | |
| Timothy Crookall | 469 | |
Ramsey
| Leonard Singer | 2,059 |
| Allan Bell | 2,056 | |
| Terry Groves | 1,763 | |
Rushen
| Miles Walker | 2,499 |
| Noel Cringle | 1,903 | |
| Pamela Crowe | 1,609 | |
| Illiam Costain | 1,568 | |
| 1,342 | ||
| David Bennett | 774 | |
| Terry Jackson | 444 |