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See How to Create an Election Map in Just 4 Minutes โ€‹

Creating a professional election map like those seen on CNN is easy with PaintMyMap.com. This tutorial walks you through loading USA state data, painting states by election winners, customizing the legend, and exporting your mapโ€”all in under 4 minutes!

Step-by-Step Tutorial โ€‹

1. Load the USA States Map โ€‹

  • Open PaintMyMap.com in your browser
  • Go to File โ†’ Choose a map...
  • Select North America โ†’ USA โ†’ USA States
  • The map loads with all 50 states plus DC

2. Set Up Your Legend โ€‹

  • In the legend panel, you'll see default groups
  • Rename them to match election candidates (e.g., "Biden - Blue", "Trump - Red")
  • Click the color swatch for each group to choose colors:
    • Blue for one candidate
    • Red for the other
    • Optional: Add a third color for undecided/swing states

3. Paint the States โ€‹

  • Select the brush tool (B key)
  • Choose a brush size (Single for precision, or Circle for faster painting)
  • Click on states to assign them to legend groups:
    • Paint blue states for one winner
    • Paint red states for the other
    • Use the eraser (E key) if you make mistakes
  • Tip: Hold Shift while painting to paint multiple states at once

4. Customize and Polish โ€‹

  • Add a map title: "2020 US Election Results"
  • Adjust the legend title and position
  • Choose a projection like Albers USA for authentic election map look
  • Toggle "Only Painted Areas" in Options to hide unpainted regions

5. Export Your Map โ€‹

  • Go to File โ†’ Export โ†’ PNG (or PDF for print)
  • Your election map downloads instantly
  • Share on social media, embed in articles, or use in presentations

Pro Tips โ€‹

  • For real election data, upload CSV files with state winners
  • Use patterns instead of solid colors for more visual interest
  • Add state labels by toggling "Show Labels" in Options
  • Experiment with different color schemes for accessibility

Why PaintMyMap for Elections? โ€‹

  • Fast: Create maps in minutes, not hours
  • Flexible: Supports any election data format
  • Professional: Export high-quality images for media use
  • Free: No account required, unlimited exports

Ready to create your own election map? Start painting now โ†’

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