Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

1. What state has had the most total presidential campaign visits since July 15?

2. Most states consistently vote red (Republican) or blue (Democratic) — between 2000 and 2016, 38 states voted for the same political party — but swing states are less predictable. Swing states only exists at all is because of the unique way the U.S. conducts presidential elections: with the Electoral College. The U.S. doesn’t elect presidents based on the national popular vote. Maine and Nebraska assign their electors proportionally, but the other 48 states and the District of Columbia have a winner-take-all system, meaning they assign all their electors to the candidate who wins a majority of the vote. In almost every state, if you get one more vote than your opponent you get 100% of that state’s electoral votes. Most states aren’t very close (one side wins by a lot) but swing states are close - really close. List the states from the visual above that have had over 5 campaign visits and describe what they share in common.

3. Which candidate has made the most presidential campaign stops since July 15?

4. One out of three Americans lives in California, Texas, Florida, and New York - the four most populous states. How many total visits did those states who are home to one third of Americans get?

5. Wisconsin, (population 5.893 million) has been visited 11 times by the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates just since July 15. Los Angeles County (population 9.721 million) has been visited once. Baker v. Carr, (1962) ruled that because of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, all congressional districts should be roughly the same population so that all voters have roughly equal representation. What does the visual above say about the equality of voters in U.S. presidential elections?

6. Overall, Describe one pattern of campaign stops you see in the map?

7. Why do you think that is?

8. What is one consequence of this pattern on campaigns and elections?

9. Explain whether the impact of the data from the map is good or bad for democracy?

10. Describe one political change to the American electoral system that would make the number of campaign stops less concentrated in swing states?

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Make your own map of U.S. presidential campaign stops in 2020. Download this blank map and write the total numbers of stops so far on each state. Highlight the five states with the most stops.

Get Creative

We states that are close - swing states. What should we call states that are not close?

Learning Extension