# Geographic Distribution of Libs/Cons (U.S.)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-distribution-of-libs-cons-u-s/353523>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 20, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-distribution-of-libs-cons-u-s/353523 "2006-04-20T20:29:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-distribution-of-libs-cons-u-s/353523/1 "2006-04-20T20:29:21Z")

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A glance at any of those red/blue election maps illustrates the phenomenon that liberals seem to be most numerous on the east and west coasts (especially the northeast and northwest), while conservatives seem to concentrate in the center and southeast of the country.

Disclaimer #1: I know there’s some overlap between the more conservative (they would say moderate) Dems and more liberal (they would say moderate) Pubs, but in terms of general tendencies Dem~lib and Pub~con.

Disclaimer #2: I know there are some anomalies, especially where there are big cities. Hell, I lived the last 7 years in Utah, the state that voted most overwhelmingly for GWB in 2002, and I’m pretty liberal. The general tendencies are pretty consistent, though.

I have two questions:

1. What are some possible explanations for this distribution?

2. Does this phenomenon occur in other countries (single countries, not like N&S Korea)? Are people from, say, eastern Turkey a bunch of capitalist pigs compared to their comrades from western Turkey?

I don’t really want this thread to degenerate into insults (and I’ll probably kill the thread if it does). I’m just curious about the origins/reasons for this.

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-distribution-of-libs-cons-u-s/353523/2 "2006-04-20T20:46:04Z")

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I think the distribution tends to be a lot more rural-urban than regional. It’s just that, generally, the east and west coasts tend to be more urbanized than the center of the country, and the northeast tends to be more urbanized than the southeast.

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**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-distribution-of-libs-cons-u-s/353523/3 "2006-04-20T20:50:36Z")

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Have you looked at one of the [red/blue maps by county?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2004_US_elections_purple_counties.png) It makes a lot more sense that way.

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-distribution-of-libs-cons-u-s/353523/4 "2006-04-20T20:53:28Z")

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[Thie](http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/) might be of interest.

In the UK, there’s a very clear divide. Labour’s support has always been in urban areas, which dates back to the rise of socialism within the industrial working-class. Tory support is much stronger in rural areas. Looking at [this map](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/flash_map/html/map05.stm) of th 2005 election, you wouldn’t think that the red Labour constituencies gave the party a large majority, until you zoom into London and the northern cities.

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**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-distribution-of-libs-cons-u-s/353523/5 "2006-04-20T21:29:14Z")

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> [@GorillaMan](#):
>
> [Thie](http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/) might be of interest.

Utterly fascinating. Thank you.