Cartograms -- Putting ID, MT, WY, ND, and SD In Their Place

INFO VISUALIZATION: Electoral-Vote.com has become the first site I visit each morning now that the election is getting so close (hey, that's a double-entendre, woot). One thing I hadn't noticed until recently was their inclusion of a US cartogram.







The site doesn't say if the states are proportioned by electoral vote or population, (there is a subtle difference since each state gets two "free" electoral votes -- this means per capita a state like Idaho actually gets more representation in the electoral college then someone in a state like California.) but either way, it gives an interesting comparison to the widely used "block" (Demers) style cartogram.



For a fun, if confusing view of America's change population distribution, check out this animated contiguous cartogram. (If you thought Florida looked a little phallic before, wait until you see it balloon up over the past few decades.)



For more fun with cartograms, check out this awesome primer.