# Why red and blue election maps miss the full story

> Election maps show red and blue states but don't capture vote diversity or turnout.
- Title: Why red and blue election maps miss the full story | Shortify
- Summary: Election maps show red and blue states but don't capture vote diversity or turnout. Graphic designer Alberto Cairo explains that standard election maps don't…
- Keywords: 2026 election, elections, media bias, choropleth, cartogram, political maps, voter turnout, news, politics, world, red, blue
- Source: Straight Arrow — https://san.com/cc/why-the-red-and-blue-that-color-election-maps-dont-tell-the-whole-story
- Published: 2026-11-02T18:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: 2026 election, elections, media bias, choropleth, cartogram, political maps, voter turnout, news, politics, world
## Election maps show red and blue states
Election maps color-code states red or blue to show which party won each region.
## Red-blue maps don't show vote details
These maps don't illustrate vote totals, turnout, or political diversity within regions.
## Graphic designer explains misreading
Alberto Cairo, a University of Miami professor, says maps are misread as proof of political dominance.
## Choropleth maps show party wins
Choropleth maps indicate which party won each geographic region but not vote counts.
## Cartograms show population density
Cartograms distort geography to represent population, highlighting where voters live.
## Purple States of America challenges red-blue maps
The Purple States of America project uses purple shades to show no state is strictly red or blue.
## Maps are simplified representations
All maps are scaled, abstracted versions of reality that leave out features to focus on specific data.
## Viewers must interpret maps correctly
People should avoid projecting their own beliefs on maps to understand election results accurately.
## Data sources matter for reliability
Charts without cited data sources should be discarded as unreliable.
## Using multiple maps gives full picture
Combining choropleths and cartograms shows different aspects of election outcomes.
## Election maps don't tell the whole story
A single map will not tell the entire story of an election outcome.
## Key takeaway

Graphic designer Alberto Cairo explains that standard election maps don't show vote totals, turnout, or political diversity, so a single map can't tell the whole story.