Independent General elections were held in Palau in 1996 to elect a president, vice president, Senate and House of Delegates.

All candidates ran as independents,[1] with 36 candidates contesting the 14 Senate seats and 35 for the 16 House of Delegates seats.

Incumbent Kuniwo Nakamura was re-elected President, whilst Thomas Remengesau Jr. was re-elected vice president.

Voter turnout was 77% in the presidential elections on 24 September and 81% on 5 November.

Toribiong withdrew his candidacy prior to the second round following his poor performance compared to 1992 and the collapse of the Koror-Babeldaob Bridge, which Toribiong stated should receive the government's full attention.