Tools: R/ggplot2
Code: Code is open-source
Sources:
-
Election Data
- 1821 and Before: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/votes/1789_1821.html
- 1824 and After: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/showelection.php?year=1824
-
Other Data
- BEA regions: http://www.bea.gov/regional/docs/regions.cfm
- States by admission into union: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_date_of_admission_to_the_Union#List_of_U.S._states
Brief Explanation:
Note that before 1824, elections were decided by electoral only, not by the popular vote in each state. After 1824, the depth of color correlates to margin of victory, or % of winning vote - % of next highest vote. However, not all states went by popular vote after 1824, and instead some states chose candidates by electorate up until the American Civil War. These values and pre-1824 values are keyed at 75% opacity.
The only parties that have definitions in the legend are parties that have been able to secure an election (besides Washington who was independent). Everything else is lumped under "Other".