The Split States of America

[Dr. MB]

I'll be creating a new US map based on the following:

1) California will be split into 6 states, Texas into 5.
2) States with between 10 and 25 million will be split into 4.
3) States with between 5 and 10 million will be split into 3.
4) States with 2–5 million split into 2.
5) States with <2 million will stay as they are. D.C. and all five territories will also remain as they are.
6) The goal will be to create as many "swing states" as possible without doing a ridiculous gerrymander. I will calculate PVI and two-party 2016 results with the help of Kevin Hayes Wilson's Redraw the States.

The 2012/16 two party share is 48.4% R, 51.6% D.

Starting with Alabama, which has 4,874,747 so it will be split into 2.


Alabama (Red)
Capital: Montgomery
2016: 57.2% Trump, 42.8% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 56.0% R, 44.0% D
PVI: R+8

North Alabama (Yellow)
Capital: Huntsville
2016: 75.3% Trump, 24.7% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 73.3% R, 26.7% D
PVI: R+25

Alaska will remain at one district, with PVI of R+9.

[Dr. MB]

Arizona will be split into 3.



Maricopa (Red)
Capital: Phoenix
2016: 52.4% Trump, 47.6% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 54.3% R, 45.7% D
PVI: R+6

Baja Arizona (Yellow)
Capital: Tucson
2016: 45.2% Trump, 54.8% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 47.1% R, 52.9% D
PVI: D+1

North Arizona or Grand Canyon (Blue)
Capital: Flagstaff
2016: 61.7% Trump, 38.3% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 60.4% R, 39.6% D
PVI: R+12

[muon2]

Arizona will be split into 3.



Maricopa (Red)
Capital: Phoenix
2016: 52.4% Trump, 47.6% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 54.3% R, 45.7% D
PVI: R+6

Baja Arizona (Yellow)
Capital: Tucson
2016: 45.2% Trump, 54.8% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 47.1% R, 52.9% D
PVI: D+1

North Arizona or Grand Canyon (Blue)
Capital: Flagstaff
2016: 61.7% Trump, 38.3% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 60.4% R, 39.6% D
PVI: R+12

There's no road in Baja AZ to connect the western part (Yuma) to the eastern part (Tucson) without going through Maricopa. Do you really want a virtually disconnected state?

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

Arizona will be split into 3.



Maricopa (Red)
Capital: Phoenix
2016: 52.4% Trump, 47.6% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 54.3% R, 45.7% D
PVI: R+6

Baja Arizona (Yellow)
Capital: Tucson
2016: 45.2% Trump, 54.8% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 47.1% R, 52.9% D
PVI: D+1

North Arizona or Grand Canyon (Blue)
Capital: Flagstaff
2016: 61.7% Trump, 38.3% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 60.4% R, 39.6% D
PVI: R+12

There's no road in Baja AZ to connect the western part (Yuma) to the eastern part (Tucson) without going through Maricopa. Do you really want a virtually disconnected state?

I'd put Maricopa in Baja and Pinal in North AZ personally.

[Torie]

Arizona will be split into 3.



Maricopa (Red)
Capital: Phoenix
2016: 52.4% Trump, 47.6% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 54.3% R, 45.7% D
PVI: R+6

Baja Arizona (Yellow)
Capital: Tucson
2016: 45.2% Trump, 54.8% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 47.1% R, 52.9% D
PVI: D+1

North Arizona or Grand Canyon (Blue)
Capital: Flagstaff
2016: 61.7% Trump, 38.3% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 60.4% R, 39.6% D
PVI: R+12

There's no road in Baja AZ to connect the western part (Yuma) to the eastern part (Tucson) without going through Maricopa. Do you really want a virtually disconnected state?

When Trump builds his wall, presumably there will be a road built next to it. Problem solved!

[RINO Tom]

Since literally the only breakdown of Illinois (into four) that makes sense is Chicagoland, Northern IL, Central IL and Southern IL, I am excited to see a more interesting one that you come up with.

[cvparty]

Since literally the only breakdown of Illinois (into four) that makes sense is Chicagoland, Northern IL, Central IL and Southern IL, I am excited to see a more interesting one that you come up with.

prob cook, collars, north and south

[Dr. MB]

Arizona will be split into 3.



Maricopa (Red)
Capital: Phoenix
2016: 52.4% Trump, 47.6% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 54.3% R, 45.7% D
PVI: R+6

Baja Arizona (Yellow)
Capital: Tucson
2016: 45.2% Trump, 54.8% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 47.1% R, 52.9% D
PVI: D+1

North Arizona or Grand Canyon (Blue)
Capital: Flagstaff
2016: 61.7% Trump, 38.3% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 60.4% R, 39.6% D
PVI: R+12

Yeah, I realized that after I did all the calculations and didn't want to go back and change that. If they are moved into North Arizona then NAZ would just get a little bit more Republican and BAZ a little bit more Democratic.

[Dr. MB]

2 party share: 48.4% R, 51.6% D.

Arkansas will be divided into 2.



Ouachita (Gray)
Capital: Fayetteville
2016: 70.5% Trump, 29.5% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 69.4% R, 30.6% D
PVI: R+21

Arkansas (Red)
Capital: Little Rock
2016: 51.7% Trump, 48.3% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 51.2% R, 48.8% D
PVI: R+3

[Dr. MB]

California will be divided into 6.



Jefferson (Gray)
Capital: Redding
2016: 55.5% Trump, 44.5% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 54.4% R, 45.6% D
PVI: R+6

San Francisco (Purple)
Capital: San Francisco
2016: 20.4% Trump, 79.6% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 22.7% R, 77.3% D
PVI: D+26

San Joaquin (Blue)
Capital: Sacramento
2016: 48.1% Trump, 51.9% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 49.0% R, 51.0% D
PVI: R+1

Coastal California (Green)
Capital: San Luis Obispo
2016: 32.9% Trump, 67.1% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 35.7% R, 64.3% D
PVI: D+13

Los Angeles (Red)
Capital: Los Angeles
2016: 31.6% Trump, 68.4% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 34.5% R, 65.5% D
PVI: D+14

Southern California (Orange)
Capital: San Diego
2016: 43.6% Trump, 56.4% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 45.8% R, 54.2% D
PVI: D+3

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

Dude this is awesome keep it up!

[Dr. MB]

Dude this is awesome keep it up!

thanks!

[Dr. MB]

2 party share: 48.4% R, 51.6% D.

Colorado has over 5 million so it will be split into 3.



East Colorado (Gray)
Capital: Pueblo
2016: 64.6% Trump, 35.4% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 60.1% R, 39.9% D
PVI: R+12

Arapaho (Green)
Capital: Denver
2016: 45.9% Trump, 54.1% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 45.9% R, 54.1% D (not an error)
PVI: D+3

Saguache (Red)
Capital: Grand Junction
2016: 56.3% Trump, 43.7% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 55.2% R, 44.8% D
PVI: R+7

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Dude this is awesome keep it up!

[libertpaulian]

Indiana will be nice to see too

[Dr. MB]

Just a warning, I think Kevin Wilson uses the preliminary totals so they might be a bit off.

[Dr. MB]

Connecticut will be divided into 2.



New London (Red)
Capital: New London
2016: 48.1% Trump, 51.9% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 45.1% R, 54.9% D
PVI: D+3

Connecticut (Gray)
Capital: Hartford
2016: 42.1% Trump, 57.9% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 41.4% R, 58.6% D
PVI: D+7

[indietraveler]

Just waiting here anticipating NW Iowa to finally be separated from my part of the state!!!

[muon2]

2 party share: 48.4% R, 51.6% D.

Colorado has over 5 million so it will be split into 3.



East Colorado (Gray)
Capital: Pueblo
2016: 64.6% Trump, 35.4% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 60.1% R, 39.9% D
PVI: R+12

Arapaho (Green)
Capital: Denver
2016: 45.9% Trump, 54.1% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 45.9% R, 54.1% D (not an error)
PVI: D+3

Saguache (Red)
Capital: Grand Junction
2016: 56.3% Trump, 43.7% Clinton
2012/16 Avg: 55.2% R, 44.8% D
PVI: R+7

It's just a little thing, but Gilpin and Clear Creek are cut off from the rest of western CO by the Front Range of the Rockies with only high passes and the Eisenhower Tunnel between them. They are much more like a western extension of Jefferson county and should be in your Denver split.

If you don't like how that leaves Park county, consider that it is an odd duck sandwiched between mountain ranges east of the Divide and could arguably go to any of your three splits of CO.

[Torie]

Here is the state of NY, and the respective capitals of the trifurcated state. I don't care about PVI's.