The 2008 Presidential Election:
Obama versus McCain: Who votes for whom?
U.S. History and Geography High School
Tennessee Geographic Alliance
Instructor
Michael Robinson
Houston High School
Germantown, TN
1

• Discuss how scale influences the understanding of the
2008 US Presidential election between Senator Obama and Senator McCain.
• Using the Stanford Election Atlas locate examples disproving that: 1) wealthiest areas all vote Republican,
2) poor areas all vote Democratic, 3) minorities all vote
Democratic, 4) the NE and West all vote Democratic, and
5) the South and Great Plains all vote Republican.
• Student Assignment (Computer Lab)- Students will find three examples disproving the stereotypes of Presidential elections.
2

Tennessee Standard
US.112
3

Connections to
4

2008 Presidential Election at Different Scales
How does changing scale change the understanding of the map?
Source: http://atlas.esri.com/Atlas/VoterAtlas.html

Scale
Example
Observations
1. Rural versus Urban Areas
2. North versus South
3. Hispanic Areas
5. African-American Areas
6. Oklahoma City (example)

Scale
Example
How many precincts in Oklahoma were over 50% for Obama? Less Than 25?

Scale Example
How many precincts in Oklahoma were over 50% for Obama?

Scale Example
How many precincts in Oklahoma were over 50% for Obama?

Scale Example
How many precincts in Oklahoma were over 50% for Obama?

Scale Example
How many precincts in Oklahoma were over 50% for Obama?

2008 Presidential Election at Different Scales
How does changing scale change the understanding of the map?
Selected Examples
1. Milwaukee
2. Boston
3. Megalopolis
4. Atlanta
5. Birmingham
6. Knoxville
7. Memphis

1. Milwaukee and Madison

2. Boston

3. Megapolois - DC to Boston

4. Atlanta

5. Birmingham

6. Knoxville

6. Knoxville

7. Memphis

7. Suburban Shelby County (Memphis)

Memphis to Birmingham

2008 Presidential Election at Different Scales

From Small Scale to Large Scale…
Little Detail to
Great Detail…
Small Scale
Little Detail
Large Scale
Great Detail

2008 Presidential Election
Obama versus McCain: Who voted for whom?

Key Statements to Disprove
• The wealthiest areas in the United States all voted for Senator McCain.
• The poorest areas in the United States all voted for
Senator Obama.
• Everyone in the Northeast and West voted for
Senator Obama.
• Everyone in the Great Plains and South voted for
Senator McCain.
• All minorities voted for Senator Obama.

Key Questions to Answer
• Which of the wealthiest areas in the United States voted for Senator Obama?
• Which of the poorest areas in the United States voted for Senator McCain?
• Which areas in the Northeast and West voted for
Senator McCain?
• Which areas in the Great Plains and South voted for Senator Obama?
• Which minorities voted for Senator McCain?

DISPROVE: The wealthiest areas in the United States all voted for Senator
McCain.
Which of the wealthiest areas in the United States voted for
Senator Obama?

2008 Vote and Income Map

Shelby County, TN

Memphis and Germantown

Boston, Massachusetts

Washington, DC

Atlanta, GA Suburbs

DISPROVE: The poorest areas in the United States all voted for Senator Obama.
Which of the poorest areas in the United States voted for
Senator McCain?

2008 Vote and Income

Mississippi Delta Region

Eastern Tennessee & Kentucky

Davidson County, Tennessee

Southern West Virginia

Amarillo, Texas

DISPROVE: Almost everyone in the Northeast and West voted for Senator
Obama.
Which areas in the Northeast and West voted for Senator
McCain?

Long Island, New York

Southern New Hampshire

San Francisco Bay Area, CA

San Francisco, CA

Orange County, CA

Northern California

DISPROVE: Almost everyone in the Great Plains and South voted for Senator
McCain.
Which areas in the Great
Plains and South voted for
Senator Obama?

Kansas

Witchita, Kansas

Dallas, Texas

Southeast United States

Birmingham, Alabama

Larger Scale Map
Birmingham, Alabama

DISPROVE: Almost all minorities voted for
Senator Obama.
Which minorities voted for
Senator McCain?

Shelby County, TN

Memphis, Tennessee

Red is
African-
American
Memphis, Tennessee

Miami, Florida
Green is
Hispanic

Blue is
American-Indian
American Indian in AZ and NM

Purple is Asian
Los Angeles Area in CA

Yellow is Two or More Races
Purple is Asian
Light Blue is Pacific Islander
Oahu Hawaii

Southern Texas

South Detroit Area, Michigan

TENNESSEE

Nashville, Tennessee

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Knoxville, Tennessee

Give an example of a poor income area that voted for Senator
McCain.
Name of Location
Description of Location
(urban, suburban, rural)
Give an example of a wealthy income area that voted for Senator
Obama.
Name of Location
Description of Location
(urban, suburban, rural)
Give an example of a minority location that voted for Senator
McCain.
Name of Location
Description of Location
(urban, suburban, rural)
Median Household Income
Median Household Income for our high school:
Median Household Income
Median Household Income for our high school:
Median Household Income
Median Household Income for our high school:
Number of Votes for Senator
McCain
Number of Votes for Senator
McCain
Number of Votes for Senator
McCain
Number of Votes for Senator
Obama
Number of Votes for Senator
Obama
Number of Votes for Senator
Obama

POOR LOCATION VOTING FOR MCCAIN

WEALTHY LOCATION VOTING FOR OBAMA

WEALTHY LOCATION VOTING FOR OBAMA

WEALTHY LOCATION VOTING FOR OBAMA

Mason, TN
MINORITY LOCATION VOTING FOR MCCAIN