Wikipedia:WikiProject Elections and Referendums/USA legend colors

WP:USALEGEND

This is a page that aims to document commonly-used map colors for election maps of US elections, so maps have consistent coloring.

New proposals

See /proposals

Presidential

Democratic
Hex code	Percentage
`#E1EFFF`	20–30%
`#D3E7FF`	30–40%
`#B9D7FF`	40–50%
`#86B6F2`	50–60%
`#4389E3`	60–70%
`#1666CB`	70–80%
`#0645B4`	80–90%
`#002B84`	90-100%

Republican
Hex code	Percentage
`#FFDFE1`	20–30%
`#FFCCD0`	30–40%
`#F2B3BE`	40–50%
`#E27F90`	50–60%
`#CC2F4A`	60–70%
`#D40000`	70–80%
`#AA0000`	80–90%
`#800000`	90-100%

Whig
Hex code	Percentage
`#FEF4B4`	30–40%
`#FEE391`	40–50%
`#FED463`	50–60%
`#FE9929`	60–70%
`#EC7014`	70–80%
`#CC4C02`	80–90%
`#8C2D04`	90-100%

Democratic-Republican/Populist/1924 Progressive
Hex code	Percentage
`#D7F4D7`	30–40%
`#AFE9AF`	40–50%
`#73D873`	50–60%
`#42CA42`	60–70%
`#30A630`	70–80%
`#217821`	80–90%
`#165016`	90-100%

1912 Progressive
Hex code	Percentage
`#E2FFD5`	20-30%
`#C7FFAF`	30–40%
`#C6E9AF`	40–50%
`#AADE87`	50–60%
`#8DD35F`	60–70%
`#71C837`	70–80%
`#66A92D`	80–90%

Federalist
Hex code	Percentage
`#F9F1D8`	30–40%
`#F6E8C3`	40–50%
`#DFC27D`	50–60%
`#BF812D`	60–70%
`#8C510A`	70–80%
`#543005`	80–90%
`#382005`	90-100%

1948 Dixiecrat/1968 American Independent
Hex code	Percentage
`#FFCCAA`	30–40%
`#FFB380`	40–50%
`#FF9955`	50–60%
`#FF7F2A`	60–70%
`#FF6600`	70–80%
`#D45500`	80–90%
`#AA4400`	90-100%

Unpledged Electors^[a]
Hex code	Percentage
`#FFEEAA`	30–40%
`#FFE680`	40–50%
`#FFDC43`	50–60%
`#F4C200`	60–70%
`#DAAE00`	70–80%
`#BE9600`	80–90%

1992 Ross Perot
Hex code	Percentage
`#C5FFC5`	30–40%
`#A1FFA1`	40–50%
`#5fd35f`	50-60%
`#37c837`	60-70%
`#2ca02c`	70-80%

Know Nothing
Hex code	Percentage
`#F2DFFC`	30–40%
`#DCB7EF`	40–50%
`#C88FE4`	50–60%
`#B368D9`	60–70%
`#9D40CC`	70–80%
`#7C31A2`	80–90%
`#5C2378`	90-100%

Tie
Hex code	Percentage
`#D4C4DC`	40–50%

^ running in 1944, 1956, 1960, 1964

Downballot

Democratic
Hex code	Percentage
`#EBF2FF`	10–20%
`#DFEEFF`	20–30%
`#BDD3FF`	30–40%
`#A5B0FF`	40–50%
`#7996E2`	50–60%
`#6674DE`	60–70%
`#584CDE`	70–80%
`#3933E5`	80–90%
`#0D0596`	>90%

Republican
Hex code	Percentage
`#FFF0F5`	10–20%
`#FFE0EA`	20–30%
`#FFC8CD`	30–40%
`#FFB2B2`	40–50%
`#E27F7F`	50–60%
`#D75D5D`	60–70%
`#D72F30`	70–80%
`#C21B18`	80–90%
`#A80000`	>90%

Libertarian
Hex code	Percentage
`#FFEEAA`	30–40%
`#FFDD55`	40–50%
`#F1C92A`	50–60%
`#DEB02A`	60–70%
`#CE9B1E`	70–80%
`#B98A35`	80–90%
`#A58100`	>90%

Independent
Hex code	Percentage
`#FAFAFA`	0–10%
`#F5F5F5`	10–20%
`#EDEDED`	20–30%
`#E6E6E6`	30–40%
`#D9D9D9`	40–50%
`#BDBDBD`	50–60%
`#969696`	60–70%
`#737373`	70–80%
`#555555`	80–90%
`#4A4A4A`	>90%

Write-in^[a]
Hex code	Percentage
`#E5FFE5`	0–10%
`#D2F7D2`	10–20%
`#C0F0C0`	20–30%
`#AAE5AA`	30–40%
`#87DE87`	40–50%
`#5FD35F`	50–60%
`#37C837`	60–70%
`#2CA02C`	70–80%
`#217821`	80–90%
`#165016`	>90%

Prohibition
Hex code	Percentage
`#FFDCEC`	20–30%
`#FFC5DA`	30–40%
`#FFAACC`	40–50%
`#FF80B2`	50–60%
`#FF5599`	60–70%
`#FF2A7F`	70–80%

Conservative^[b]
Hex code	Percentage
`#FEEFDF`	20–30%
`#FEE5D5`	30–40%
`#FFCCAA`	40–50%
`#FFB380`	50–60%
`#FF9955`	60–70%
`#FF7F2A`	70–80%
`#FF6600`	80–90%
`#D45500`	>90%

Farmer-Labor
Hex code	Percentage
`#B4FFE5`	30–40%
`#7EE5C1`	40–50%
`#47CC9D`	50–60%
`#2CB283`	60–70%
`#199268`	70–80%
`#0A6343`	80–90%
`#07452F`	>90%

Vermont Progressive
Hex code	Percentage
`#E3A6A5`	20–30%
`#D78281`	30–40%
`#CC5E5D`	40–50%
`#C64C4B`	50–60%
`#9E3D3C`	60–70%
`#772E2D`	70–80%
`#4F1E1E`	80–90%
`#280F0F`	>90%

Socialist
Hex code	Percentage
`#FFD3C3`	0–10%
`#FFAC8E`	10–20%
`#FF8E65`	20–30%
`#FF7644`	30–40%
`#F8581E`	40–50%
`#CD3700`	50–60%
`#973714`	60–70%
`#622E1B`	70–80%

Democratic
(alternative)
Hex code	Percentage
`#E3F7F7`	10–20%
`#D0F9F9`	20–30%
`#ACF2F2`	30–40%
`#7DDDDD`	40–50%
`#51C2C2`	50–60%
`#2AACAC`	60–70%
`#009696`	70–80%
`#008080`	80–90%
`#006666`	>90%

Republican
(alternative)^[c]
Hex code	Percentage
`#FFEFDF`	10–20%
`#FFDAC1`	20–30%
`#FFCCA9`	30–40%
`#FFB580`	40–50%
`#FF9A50`	50–60%
`#EE8E50`	60–70%
`#D69850`	70–80%
`#B98A35`	80–90%
`#9D7700`	>90%

Nonpartisan League
Hex code	Percentage
`#F9F1DB`	30–40%
`#F6E8C3`	40–50%
`#DFC27D`	50–60%
`#BF812D`	60–70%
`#8C510A`	70–80%
`#543005`	80–90%

Reform
Hex code	Percentage
`#f2dffc`	30–40%
`#dcb7ef`	40–50%
`#c88fe4`	50–60%
`#b368d9`	60–70%
`#9d40cc`	70–80%
`#7c31a2`	80–90%
`#5c2378`	>90%

Federalist
Hex code	Percentage
`#B5C8E2`	40–50%
`#8DA9E2`	50–60%
`#678CD7`	60–70%
`#4170CD`	70–80%
`#3358A2`	80–90%
`#244079`	>90%

Democratic-Republican
Hex code	Percentage
`#AAE5AA`	30–40%
`#87DEAA`	40–50%
`#73BC84`	50–60%
`#3FA457`	60–70%
`#008C21`	70-80%
`#006E1A`	80–90%
`#005113`	>90%

Constitution
Hex code	Percentage
`#E6CDFF`	30–40%
`#CCAAFF`	40–50%
`#B380FF`	50–60%
`#9955FF`	60–70%
`#7A44CC`	70–80%
`#5C3399`	80–90%
`#3D2266`	>90%

Whig
Hex code	Percentage
`#FEF4B4`	30–40%
`#FEE391`	40–50%
`#FED463`	50–60%
`#FE9929`	60–70%
`#EC7014`	70–80%
`#CC4C02`	80–90%
`#8C2D04`	90-100%

Tie
Hex code	Percentage
`#EFE7F5`	20-30%
`#DECDE6`	30-40%
`#D2B1D9`	40-50%
`#AE8BB1`	50%

No data/no votes^[d]
Hex code	Percentage
`#808080`	No data/No votes

^ 2021 Buffalo mayoral election, 2020 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2010 United States Senate election in Alaska, 1954 United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1913 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
^ Can also be used for elections like 2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia
^ 2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia - the second place Republican in jungle primaries
^ Used when for some reason there are no votes in a voting area (for example, a statewide ballot measure that wasn't on the ballot in a county, or a precinct that had no votes cast).

Seat control

Democratic
Hex code	Status
`#92C5DE`	Hold
`#0671B0`	Gain

Republican
Hex code	Status
`#F48882`	Hold
`#CA0120`	Gain

Independent
Hex code	Status
`#999999`	Hold
`#666666`	Gain

Whig
Hex code	Status
`#fdb863`	Hold
`#e08214`	Gain

Democratic-Republican
Hex code	Status
`#aacc99`	Hold
`#008000`	Gain

Federalist
Hex code	Status
`#f2bfa6`	Hold
`#e27036`	Gain

Progressive
Hex code	Status
`#5FD170`	Hold
`#288B37`	Gain

Conservative
Hex code	Status
`Unused`
`#E66101`	Gain

Connecticut for Lieberman
Hex code	Status
`Unused`
`#FFF600`	Gain

Covenant
Hex code	Status
`#42FF42`	Hold
`#00C000`	Gain

Alaskan Independence
Hex code	Status
`Unused`
`#FFD700`	Gain

A Connecticut Party
Hex code	Status
`Unused`
`#FFA500`	Gain

New Progressive Party
Hex code	Status
`#B9B9DB`	Hold
`#161687`	Gain

Popular Democratic Party
Hex code	Status
`#FFC2C2`	Hold
`#FF3333`	Gain

No election
Hex code	Status
`#d3d3d3`	No election
`#D0D0D0`	No election

Nonpartisan League
Hex code	Status
`#E5D38C`	Hold
`#614D00`	Gain

Prohibition Party
Hex code	Status
`#EE2678`	Gain

Bipartisan Coalition
Hex code	Status
`#A12EF6`	Hold
`#6004A4`	Gain

Independent Democratic Conference
Hex code	Status
`#6988fc`	Hold
`#0039ff`	Gain

Farmer-Labor
Hex code	Status
`#B3DE8A`	Hold
`#40A839`	Gain

Libertarian
Hex code	Status
`Unused`
`#F1C92A`	Gain

Reform
Hex code	Status
`Unused`
`#F1C92A`	Gain

Other info

For maps of future elections, "hold" is used for "incumbent intent is known and is eligible, or incumbent is running for re-election", whereas "gain" is used for "incumbent is retiring/term-limited". Following this, there is an additional color used, which is also used when an election has taken place but not been called yet.


Hex code	Status
`#808080`	Unknown incumbent/result

Proposal support levels

These colors were specially selected to cause no difficulty for most colorblind readers.^[1]

Perceptually uniform, colorblind safe palette
Hex code	Result	Usual percentages
`#2B2457`	Very extreme support (use sparingly)	90%–100%
`#28497C`	Extreme support	80%–90%
`#47729E`	Strong support	70%–80%
`#7D9CBB`	Medium support	60%–70%
`#B6C8D9`	Weak support	50%–60%
`#EBEEED`	Exact tie (use sparingly)	50%
`#DEDEBD`	Weak opposition	50%–60%
`#BCBC83`	Medium opposition	60%–70%
`#8B8B54`	Strong opposition	70%–80%
`#5D5D2D`	Extreme opposition	80%–90%
`#32320C`	Very extreme opposition (use sparingly)	90%–100%

Never use both "very extreme" colors on the same county map, as they are nearly indistinguishable. They should only be used to indicate areas of nearly-unanimous support for landslide results. Consider using them for precinct maps, if every "very extreme" precinct's result can be easily inferred from the less extreme precincts surrounding it. (Remember most readers will be less familiar with the area's political geography than you.)

Red/green color schemes are strongly discouraged because about 8% of white men have difficulty distinguishing red and green.

^ "Scientific colour maps". Fabio Crameri. Retrieved 23 March 2021.