Atlas of the 2020 Elections

From presidential to congressional, state, and local tickets, this book explains the 2020 elections through more than 100 full-color maps that unleash the illustrative power of cartography. A mix of geographers, political scientists, and historians provide a comprehensive examination of the elections from the primary campaigns to the final results.

The 2020 presidential election was one of the most historic, contested, and contentious in American history. Joe Biden was the oldest person elected president. Kamala Harris was the first female elected vice president and the first vice president of Black and Asian descent. The primaries, campaigns, and elections were held for the first time amid an international and national pandemic. Despite this, voter turnout was the highest in 120 years. Donald Trump was the first president in modern times who refused to concede, leading to numerous lawsuits over the election process and results, although election litigation and state officials found no evidence of large-scale voter fraud. Nevertheless, continued claims of a stolen election led to a riotous mob occupation of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to overturn the Electoral College results.

The Atlas of the 2020 Elections explains the results of the 2020 elections with a series of unique maps unleashing the illustrative power of cartography and the relevance of history and political geography. The contributors—a balanced mix of geographers, political scientists, and historians—provide a comprehensive examination of the election process from the primary campaigns through the general election and post-election events. In addition to the presidential election, the Atlas has full coverage of other important races, including congressional races, state races, and local and state referenda. Illustrated with more than 150 meticulously drawn full-color maps and numerous graphs and tables, the Atlas will be an essential reference and a fascinating resource for scholars, teachers, students, pundits, campaign staff, and political junkies alike, and for all who care about the American democratic process.

Figures and Tables

Preface

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Primary Elections

Chapter 3. The Campaign

Chapter 4. Outcomes

Chapter 5. Regions

Chapter 6. Demographics and Identity

Chapter 7. Congressional Elections and Roll Call Votes

Chapter 8. State Elections, Local Elections and Referenda

Chapter 9. Post-Election Events

Chapter 10. The 2020 Election and Beyond

Chapter 11. Technical Chapter

Index

List of Contributors