1996Final results
1996 election for New Jersey's 5th District
U.S. House · New Jersey
Marge Roukema (R) won with 71.3% of the vote, defeating Bill Auer (D) by 46.5 points.
Marge RoukemaRepublican · winner
71.3%181,323
Bill AuerDemocrat
24.8%62,956
Lorraine L. LaneveIndependent
1.6%4,093
Dan KarlanIndependent
0.8%2,118
Helen HamiltonIndependent
0.7%1,678
Barry ChildersIndependent
0.5%1,266
E. Gregory KresgeIndependent
0.4%899
254,333 votes
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
The seat over time
D − R margin in this seat's races around 1996
Races before and after
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
Money in this race
Each line compares the two campaigns on one scale.
Bill AuerMarge Roukema
$31.4K
Raised by the campaign
$515.2K
$28K
Spent by the campaign
$496.6K
$3.4K
Cash on hand
$48.9K
Other candidates' campaigns: Barry Childers $671.
Campaign money: FEC, through Dec 31, 1996.
Source: FEC campaign filingsUpdated Dec 31, 1996
The candidates
Marge Roukema (R)Bill Auer (D)
Also on the ballot: Lorraine L. Laneve (Independent), 1.6%; Dan Karlan (Independent), 0.8%; Helen Hamilton (Independent), 0.7%; Barry Childers (Independent), 0.5%; E. Gregory Kresge (Independent), 0.4%