# Electoral map oddities **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 1, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-map-oddities/639607 "2012-11-01T20:13:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-map-oddities/639607/21 "2012-11-02T16:06:30Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Well, then, let me phrase the OP differently: why would New Mexico contain more pockets of blue than Arizona, when they are so similar geographically and demographically? These things are erratic. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-map-oddities/639607/22 "2012-11-02T16:07:26Z")
According to Wikipedia, Arizona is approximately 30% hispanic, while New Mexico is alomst 47%, the highest in the US. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-map-oddities/639607/23 "2012-11-02T17:15:44Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Vermont’s the one that’s kind of shaped like a V. **And it’s full of hippies**. That ain’t no shit, neither. About 8 years ago when my wife and I were finishing up our 50 by 50 [mission](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=495577) we spent a week in Vermont. They were all over the place. I thought we had time traveled back to 1967. There were actually a few of them in a coffee house we visited bitching about “the establishment.” 😕 I figured these were guys that ran away to Canada to hide from the draft and just recently crossed the border. Anyway, that easily explains to me why it’s a Democratic stronghold. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-map-oddities/639607/24 "2012-11-02T18:00:04Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > That’s a handy way to remember it. (The “V,” not the hippies). No no, the hippies part is true, too. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-map-oddities/639607/25 "2012-11-02T18:48:12Z")
The high Hispanic population in NM is certainly a major factor coloring it blue now. Moreover, the state’s sudden change can be attributed IMO to two factors: (1) Compared to the current crop of national Republican candidates, George W. Bush did fairly well with Hispanics. Once he was off the stage, many of those Hispanic votes went to the Dems. (2) There is also a substantial population of American Indians in the state (10%); Obama made a point of going after these voters in 2008. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-map-oddities/639607/26 "2012-11-02T19:15:32Z")
I would highly recommend going through the 538 articles that break down state by state. It’s a great series and it really explains why each state falls where it does politically. ---
**Author:** ![Crab\_Rangoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Crab\_Rangoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab_Rangoon)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-map-oddities/639607/27 "2012-11-02T19:48:44Z")
There’s an easy way to remember the Vermont and New Hampshire difference: New Hampshire is the thorn between two roses. Vermont and Maine being the roses, of course. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-map-oddities/639607.md?page=1)