| Flag Image: | Flag of San Juan, Puerto Rico.svg |
| Country: | Puerto Rico |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1992 San Juan, Puerto Rico, mayoral election |
| Previous Year: | 1992 |
| Next Election: | 2000 San Juan, Puerto Rico, mayoral election |
| Next Year: | 2000 |
| Election Date: | November 5, 1996 |
| Nominee1: | Sila María Calderón |
| Party1: | PPD |
| Alliance1: | Democratic |
| Popular Vote1: | 105,940 |
| Percentage1: | 50.40% |
| Nominee2: | Zaida Cucusa Hernández |
| Party2: | PNP |
| Alliance2: | Republican |
| Popular Vote2: | 97,572 |
| Percentage2: | 46.41% |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | Héctor Luis Acevedo |
| Before Party: | Popular Democratic Party (Puerto Rico) |
| After Election: | Sila María Calderón |
| After Party: | Popular Democratic Party (Puerto Rico) |
San Juan, Puerto Rico, held an election for mayor on November 5, 1996. It was held as part of the 1996 Puerto Rican general election. It saw the election of Sila María Calderón, a member of the Popular Democratic Party.
The New Progressive Party nominated speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico Zaida Cucusa Hernández in a primary held by the party on April 2, 1995. This marked the first time that the party had ever held a mayoral primary.[1]
Out of roughly 30,000 votes cast, Calderon received roughly 90% of the vote in a landslide victory, defeating Jorge de Castro (former member of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives) and Nicolas Gautier.[1]
The Popular Democratic Party nominated former secretary of state of Puerto Rico Sila María Calderón.
The Puerto Rican Independence Party nominated Irma Rodríguez
This was the first mayoral election in the city's history in which the two leading candidates were both women.[1]