State-by-state election returns make the U.S. look like a deeply divided country–red Republicans in the South and middle; blue Democrats on the coasts. (The division is eerily reminiscent of the division between free and slave states before the Civil War–how long the shadows of that ugly history are.) But if you map election returns county by county, you get a much more mixed picture of the country’s political leanings. I find this encouraging. (Details on how this map, by Princeton prof Robert Vanderbei, was created.) (via BoingBoing)
