The geographically accurate cartogram above represents the Virginia governor's race results based on the population of each county. The more populous a county is, the larger it is on the map. Looking at a map of Virginia with the results of this race, the entire state is painted red leading the casual observer to believe that the Republican candidate, Ed Gillespie, won the race. However, the map above shows that those small pockets of blue are very populous and what they lack in geography they more than make up for in votes and it gives a better picture as to how the Democratic candidate, Ralph Northam, won the race.
Findings
- Most of Gillespie's votes came from lightly populated areas as can be seen by all the small red counties in the far western portion of the state. On a regular map, these counties expand well into the the central portion of the state.
- Most of Northam's votes came from heavily populated areas as can be seen by the large blue counties that take up a big chunk of this map but are mere specks on a typical map of the state.
Caveats
- The borders represent the area of the country if it were based on population. The location of the counties on the map is irrelevant.
- Not all the precincts had completed their tallies at the time of data collection, so results may have changed since then.
Details
Chesterfield was the most populous county that Gillespie won and even there, it was by a slim margin. He did really well in counties with small populations.
On the other hand, Northam did well in populous counties and managed to win several counties with small populations as well as can be seen in places like Williamsburg City (103 on the map), and Brunswick County (68).
Data
| County | Population | Percent Voted Democratic | Percent Voted Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack County | 32947 | 45.72 | 53.78 |
| Albemarle County | 106878 | 63.75 | 35.12 |
| Alexandria City | 153511 | 78.36 | 20.74 |
| Alleghany County | 15595 | 33.6 | 65.65 |
| Amelia County | 12913 | 30.42 | 68.69 |
| Amherst County | 31633 | 35.65 | 63.4 |
| Appomattox County | 15475 | 23.76 | 75.27 |
| Arlington County | 230050 | 80.07 | 18.94 |
| Augusta County | 74997 | 25.46 | 72.7 |
| Bath County | 4476 | 30.38 | 68.4 |
| Bedford County | 77960 | 25.12 | 73.98 |
| Bland County | 6513 | 18.64 | 80.4 |
| Botetourt County | 33231 | 27.23 | 71.69 |
| Bristol City | 17141 | 28.9 | 70.02 |
| Brunswick County | 16243 | 57.24 | 42.36 |
| Buchanan County | 22178 | 23.39 | 75.95 |
| Buckingham County | 17048 | 41.79 | 57.37 |
| Buena Vista City | 6618 | 31.96 | 65.86 |
| Campbell County | 54952 | 25.41 | 73.63 |
| Caroline County | 30178 | 49.35 | 49.47 |
| Carroll County | 29531 | 22.2 | 76.9 |
| Charles City County | 7071 | 62.54 | 36.83 |
| Charlotte County | 12129 | 34.77 | 64.3 |
| Charlottesville City | 46597 | 84.77 | 14.09 |
| Chesapeake City | 235429 | 53.09 | 45.7 |
| Chesterfield County | 339009 | 49.32 | 49.56 |
| Clarke County | 14374 | 43.09 | 55.66 |
| Colonial Heights City | 17820 | 26.93 | 71.92 |
| Covington City | 5658 | 40.61 | 58.42 |
| Craig County | 5158 | 22.4 | 75.97 |
| Culpeper County | 50083 | 36.68 | 61.92 |
| Cumberland County | 9652 | 41.19 | 57.76 |
| Danville City | 42082 | 57.17 | 42.29 |
| Dickenson County | 14968 | 27.82 | 71.39 |
| Dinwiddie County | 28144 | 44.54 | 54.77 |
| Emporia City | 5496 | 55.66 | 42.99 |
| Essex County | 11123 | 46.49 | 52.7 |
| Fairfax City | 24013 | 64.81 | 34.02 |
| Fairfax County | 1138652 | 67.86 | 31.17 |
| Falls Church City | 13892 | 78.97 | 19.74 |
| Fauquier County | 69069 | 39.19 | 59.66 |
| Floyd County | 15731 | 35.45 | 63.16 |
| Fluvanna County | 26271 | 46.25 | 52.73 |
| Franklin City | 8490 | 60.31 | 39.1 |
| Franklin County | 56069 | 30.27 | 68.55 |
| Frederick County | 84421 | 34.4 | 64.39 |
| Fredericksburg City | 28118 | 64.37 | 34.13 |
| Galax City | 6914 | 30.18 | 68.63 |
| Giles County | 16857 | 27.5 | 71.32 |
| Gloucester County | 37214 | 34.38 | 64.48 |
| Goochland County | 22668 | 37.1 | 61.85 |
| Grayson County | 15107 | 22.69 | 76.65 |
| Greene County | 19371 | 35.17 | 63.41 |
| Greensville County | 11706 | 56.81 | 42.57 |
| Halifax County | 34992 | 38.78 | 60.41 |
| Hampton City | 136454 | 71.58 | 27.37 |
| Hanover County | 104392 | 34.18 | 64.39 |
| Harrisonburg City | 52538 | 63.57 | 34.87 |
| Henrico County | 326501 | 60.16 | 37.54 |
| Henry County | 51445 | 34.83 | 64.35 |
| Highland County | 2216 | 30.66 | 67.6 |
| Hopewell City | 22378 | 49.98 | 48.42 |
| Isle of Wight County | 36596 | 42.18 | 56.98 |
| James City County | 74404 | 48.94 | 50.11 |
| King and Queen County | 7159 | 42.05 | 56.82 |
| King George County | 25984 | 37.18 | 61.51 |
| King William County | 16334 | 33.65 | 65.22 |
| Lancaster County | 10972 | 43.58 | 55.79 |
| Lee County | 24179 | 19.54 | 79.19 |
| Lexington City | 7262 | 66.46 | 32.74 |
| Loudoun County | 385945 | 59.43 | 39.46 |
| Louisa County | 35236 | 38.01 | 60.68 |
| Lunenburg County | 12273 | 40.23 | 59.14 |
| Lynchburg City | 79812 | 47.15 | 51.44 |
| Madison County | 13078 | 36.28 | 62.5 |
| Manassas City | 41764 | 56.86 | 41.88 |
| Manassas Park City | 15726 | 63.61 | 34.64 |
| Martinsville City | 13645 | 58.55 | 39.87 |
| Mathews County | 8782 | 35.02 | 64.14 |
| Mecklenburg County | 30892 | 39.73 | 59.84 |
| Middlesex County | 10778 | 37.13 | 61.92 |
| Montgomery County | 98602 | 53.71 | 44.45 |
| Nelson County | 14869 | 48.84 | 48.91 |
| New Kent County | 21147 | 31.91 | 66.79 |
| Newport News City | 182385 | 65.12 | 33.6 |
| Norfolk City | 246393 | 73.6 | 25.09 |
| Northampton County | 12139 | 56.87 | 42.42 |
| Northumberland County | 12222 | 37.82 | 61.47 |
| Norton City | 3939 | 33.37 | 65.12 |
| Nottoway County | 15673 | 42.63 | 56.66 |
| Orange County | 35533 | 38.12 | 60.94 |
| Page County | 23654 | 26.86 | 72.15 |
| Patrick County | 17923 | 22.35 | 76.69 |
| Petersburg City | 32477 | 87.71 | 11.49 |
| Pittsylvania County | 61687 | 29.62 | 69.78 |
| Poquoson City | 12059 | 26.89 | 71.89 |
| Portsmouth City | 96201 | 70.2 | 28.45 |
| Powhatan County | 28443 | 27.02 | 71.76 |
| Prince Edward County | 23142 | 50.96 | 47.89 |
| Prince George County | 37845 | 40.27 | 58.65 |
| Prince William County | 455210 | 60.74 | 38.17 |
| Pulaski County | 34203 | 29.99 | 68.54 |
| Radford City | 17403 | 54.89 | 43.36 |
| Rappahannock County | 7388 | 45.28 | 53.9 |
| Richmond City | 220289 | 81.65 | 17.03 |
| Richmond County | 8774 | 36.95 | 62.38 |
| Roanoke City | 99897 | 62.03 | 36.51 |
| Roanoke County | 94031 | 37.5 | 61.24 |
| Rockbridge County | 22392 | 37.5 | 61.46 |
| Rockingham County | 79744 | 27.94 | 70.75 |
| Russell County | 27370 | 22.44 | 76.65 |
| Salem City | 25432 | 38.23 | 60.36 |
| Scott County | 21930 | 17.74 | 81.39 |
| Shenandoah County | 43175 | 29.54 | 69.25 |
| Smyth County | 31062 | 21.13 | 77.75 |
| Southampton County | 18057 | 40.89 | 57.64 |
| Spotsylvania County | 132010 | 43.13 | 55.65 |
| Stafford County | 144361 | 46.88 | 51.87 |
| Staunton City | 24416 | 53.34 | 44.86 |
| Suffolk City | 88161 | 58.32 | 40.67 |
| Surry County | 6544 | 56.06 | 42.82 |
| Sussex County | 11504 | 55.68 | 43.53 |
| Tazewell County | 42150 | 16.42 | 82.96 |
| Virginia Beach City | 452745 | 51.87 | 46.88 |
| Warren County | 39155 | 34.06 | 64.74 |
| Washington County | 54214 | 24.47 | 74.58 |
| Waynesboro City | 21491 | 45 | 53.33 |
| Westmoreland County | 17592 | 49.04 | 49.95 |
| Williamsburg City | 15052 | 70.67 | 28.26 |
| Winchester City | 27284 | 53.64 | 44.71 |
| Wise County | 39228 | 22.13 | 76.85 |
| Wythe County | 29016 | 24.8 | 74.31 |
| York County | 67976 | 43.68 | 55.1 |
Sources
United States Census Bureau. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2016." Accessed November 8, 2017. http://factfinder2.census.gov.
Virginia Department of Elections. 2017. "2017 November General." Accessed November 8, 2017. http://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2017%20November%20General/Site/Governor.html.