this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2024
175 points (93.1% liked)

Map Enthusiasts

3492 readers
320 users here now

For the map enthused!

Rules:

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Compared to constantly seeing the "winner takes all" election result maps, I think this type of map is a good reminder that a strong diversity of opinion exists in most states.

all 29 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

this is a terrible infographic

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 minutes ago* (last edited 8 minutes ago)

Yeah... The shades of reds/blues blend together making it extremely difficult to tell the degrees of mixture...

[–] [email protected] 135 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

I really like the maps that also indicate population, like this dot density map:

https://media.wired.com/photos/5b59eab77756071a9b78f1ee/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/Dasymetric-Dot-Density-w.jpg

[–] [email protected] 28 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Right, because land doesn't vote; citizens do.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 19 hours ago

Let me introduce you to the US Senate.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

That split right down the middle is quite satisfying.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

In case you aren't American, that line is the Great Plains. It's basically the dividing line between where it historically gets enough rain to farm, and where it's dry enough that farming gives way to ranching.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Interesting! Which side is which?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

The right side is where people farm and the left is more ranching. Obviously, there's farms everywhere, but out west, it has to be irrigated, which can only be done cost effectively in certain locations.

If you know where to look, you can even make out rivers. The Platte river crosses the great plains to Denver (the big blue area).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 hours ago

That line is where the party gets started.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

I thought Texas was extremely red what?!?!

[–] [email protected] 15 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

Texas is gerrymandered to hell which means their reps and state legislature are very Republican. But it's purple enough people recently frequently hope they can flip a Senate seat there.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 12 hours ago

Texas is big and tends to go red in the winner-takes-all system, but it also has more blue voters than some states have voters total.

[–] [email protected] 49 points 21 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 35 points 21 hours ago

This is literally the best thing that could happen to our democracy, in my opinion. Unfortunately it requires the 2 major parties to agree to give up some of their influence, so...

[–] [email protected] 14 points 18 hours ago (3 children)

Washington isn't purple. Washington is two States split in half by the Cascade mountains. It's all blue on the West side, and all red on the East side.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

As someone on the east side, it hurts. I know Washington state was the only state to go more blue this election, but I'm sure the part that wants to become Super Idaho did their best (worst?) to change that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 minutes ago

Ah you mean White Insurrectionist Matt Shea who wanted to take the racist parts of East Washington and the racist parts of Idaho (which is most of the state) and form a new State?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 hours ago

At least people are still pretty friendly over there, and really down to earth. I spent some time in Eastern Washington this spring and had a really good time. I was in a small town and it seemed like a long lost piece of Americana.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 15 hours ago

I mean, it's all blueberries in tomato soup, if you go granular enough.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 21 hours ago

I like this, a lot of red states proudly dote that they're all red, but that's just not the case. Blues are usually more urban, and in smaller areas so it looks more red, but really most states are pretty purple.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 19 hours ago

bisexual america

[–] [email protected] 6 points 21 hours ago

This makes it look like the US was beaten with a baseball bat and thrown from a moving car ... which makes sense because Americans have been beating themselves silly for years.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

This would be greatly improved by using a third color as the direct center, IMO - E.g. Blue->Yellow->Red.

Right now, it's basically impossible to differentiate anyone in the middle 50% or so.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 21 hours ago

You could adjust the alpha to population density.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 21 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 19 hours ago

So what you are saying is the whole country is shades of lavender?