State Population Cartogram

State Population Cartogram

R We can correct 
We can correct The presidential election, 
The presidential election,
e Red States & Blue States
Red States & Blue States
for this by making use of a cartogram
for this by making use of a cartogram,
a map in which the sizes of states are
a map in which the sizes of states are 
however is not actually decided on the basis
however, is not actually decided on the basis 
of the number of people who vote for each candidate
of the number of people who vote for each candidate 
Electoral
Electoral Votes Cartogram
l l Votes Cartogram
rescaled according to their population That is
rescaled according to their population. That is,  b t
but on the basis of the electoral college. Under the US 
th b i f th l t l ll U d th US
s electoral system each state in the union contributes a
electoral system, each state in the union contributes a 
states are drawn with size proportional not to their
states are drawn with size proportional not to their  certain number of electors to the electoral college, who vote 
b f l h l l ll g , h
u acreage b
acreage but to the number of their inhabitants, states 
but to the
h numberb off their
h inhabitants,
h b states according to the majority in their state The candidate
according to the majority in their state. The candidate 
with more people appearing larger than states with 
ith p pl pp i g l g th t t ith receiving a majority of the votes in the electoral college 
ece g a ajo ty o t e otes t e e ecto a co ege
l f
fewer, regardless of their actual area on the ground. On 
, g dl f th i t l th g d O wins the election The electors are apportioned
wins the election. The electors are apportioned 
such a map for example the state of Rhode Island
such a map, for example, the state of Rhode Island,  roughly according to states' populations, as 
roughly according to states populations, as
measured by the census, but with a small 
d b th b t ith ll
t with its 1 1 million inhabitants would appear about
with its 1.1 million inhabitants, would appear about  but deliberate bias in favor of
but deliberate bias in favor of 
twice the size of Wyoming which has half
twice the size of Wyoming, which has half  Here are the 2008 presidential election results on a population 
Here are the 2008 presidential election results on a population smaller states. 
ll
s a million even though Wyoming has
a million, even though Wyoming has  cartogram of this type. As you can see, the states have been stretched
cartogram of this type. As you can see, the states have been stretched 
60 times the acreage of
60 times the acreage of  and squashed some of them substantially to give them the appropriate
and squashed, some of them substantially, to give them the appropriate 
sizes though it'ss done in such a way as to preserve the general 
sizes, though it done in such a way as to preserve the general
Rhode Island.
Rhode Island.  appearance of the map, so far as that's possible. On this map there is 
f th f th t' ibl O thi th i
now clearly more blue than red
now clearly more blue than red. 
b
y The states are colored red or blue to indicate whether a majority of 
Th l d d bl i di h h j iy f
their voters voted for the Republican candidate John McCain or the
their voters voted for the Republican candidate, John McCain, or the 
We can represent the effects of the electoral college by scaling the 
We can represent the effects of the electoral college by scaling the
Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, respectively. Looking at this map 
, , p y g p
sizes of states to be proportional to their number of electoral votes. 
i f t t t b ti l t th i b f l t l t
it gives the impression that the Republicans won the election handily
it gives the impression that the Republicans won the election handily, 
since there is rather more red on the map than there is blue. In fact,
since there is rather more red on the map than there is blue. In fact, 
How Much Is Your Vote Worth?
How Much Is Your Vote Worth? This looks similar to the State Population Cartogram but it'ss not 
This looks similar to the State Population Cartogram, but it not
S ho e er the re erse is tr e the Democrats won by a substantial 
however, the reverse is true – the Democrats on b a s bstantial
id i l y i g, f i
identical. Wyoming, for instance, has approximately doubled in size, 
,h pp i ly d bl d i i ,
precisely because of the bias in favor of small states The areas of red
precisely because of the bias in favor of small states. The areas of red 
margin The explanation for this apparent paradox as pointed out by
margin. The explanation for this apparent paradox, as pointed out by 
and blue on the cartogram are now proportional to the actual numbers 
g p p
t many people, is that the map fails to take account of the population 
l i th t th f il t t k t f th l ti
of electoral votes won by each candidate Thus this map shows at a
of electoral votes won by each candidate. Thus this map shows at a 
distribution It fails to allow for the fact that the population of the red
distribution. It fails to allow for the fact that the population of the red 
glance both which states went to which candidate and which candidate
glance both which states went to which candidate and which candidate 
a states is on average significantly lower than that of the blue ones. The 
g g f y f
blue may be small in area but they represent a large number of voters
blue may be small in area, but they represent a large number of voters, 
won more electoral college votes –
l t l ll t something that you cannot tell 
thi th t t t ll
easily from the normal election‐night
easily from the normal election night red and blue map. 
red and blue map
which is what matters in an election.
which is what matters in an election. 
t
e

R
e
s This map shows each state re‐sized in proportion to the relative influence of the individual voters who live 
This map shows each state re‐sized in proportion to the relative influence of the individual voters who live
there. The numbers indicate the total delegates to the Electoral College from each state, and how many 
h h b d h ld l g h l l ll g f h , dh y Shaded
Shaded County Cartogram
h d d County Cartogram
u Red
Red
Red Counties & Blue Counties
d Cou
C
Counties
ties & Blue
Blue Cou
C
Counties
ties eligible voters a single delegate from each state represents
eligible voters a single delegate from each state represents.
Source: http://www nytimes com/interactive/2008/11/02/opinion/20081102 OPCHART html
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/11/02/opinion/20081102_OPCHART.html

l
t
s
County Population Cartogram
County Population Cartogram R d, Blue
Red
Red, Blue & Purple Counties
Bl & Purple
P pl Counties
C ti
b
y

C We can do the same thing  with the county‐level election 
We can do the same thing with the county level election Here is the corresponding cartogram. As this map makes clear, large 
h p d g g h p k l ,l g
portions of the country are quite evenly divided appearing in
portions of the country are quite evenly divided, appearing in 
results and the images are even more striking Here is a
results and the images are even more striking. Here is a  various shades of purple, although a number of strongly Democratic 
a ous s ades o pu p e, a t oug a u be o st o g y e oc at c
o map of US counties again colored red and blue to indicate
map of US counties, again colored red and blue to indicate  (blue) areas are visible too mostly in the larger cities There are also
(blue) areas are visible too, mostly in the larger cities. There are also 
Republican and Democratic majorities respectively
Republican and Democratic majorities respectively some strongly Republican areas, but most of them have relatively
some strongly Republican areas, but most of them have relatively 
u small populations and hence appear quite small on this map. 
ll l ti dh it ll thi

n
Since all counties contain both Republican and Democratic supporters 
Since all counties contain both Republican and Democratic supporters
t Again, we can make a more helpful representation by using a 
Again we can make a more helpful representation by using a and in using just the two colors on our map we lose any information 
di i j t th t l l i f ti
cartogram. Here is what the cartogram looks like for the county‐
cartogram. Here is what the cartogram looks like for the county about the balance between them there is no way to tell whether a
about the balance between them, there is no way to tell whether a 
y l l l ti
level election returns. Now the effects we saw at the state level are 
t N th ff t t th t t l l particular county went strongly for one candidate or the other or 
p l y gly f dd h h
even more pronounced: the red areas appear overwhelmingly in
even more pronounced: the red areas appear overwhelmingly in  whether it was relatively evenly split One way to improve the map
whether it was relatively evenly split. One way to improve the map 
the majority, an appearance again at odds with the actual results of 
h j i y, pp g i dd i h h l l f aand reveal more nuance in the vote is to use not just two colors, red 
d e ea o e ua ce e o e s o use o jus o co o s, ed
the election
the election.  and blue but to use red blue and shades of purple in between to
and blue, but to use red, blue, and shades of purple in between to 
Source for cartogram maps and text: http://www‐personal
Source for cartogram maps and text: http://www personal.umich.edu/
umich edu/~mejn/election/2008/?map
mejn/election/2008/?map indicate percentages of votes.
indicate percentages of votes.