Electoral College Map May Look Very Different This Year

The electoral college map has been safely divided between red states and blue states since 2000. It has been easy to guess which states can be filled in blue and red, as Republicans and Democrats shore up their bases. For eight years, a state has usually been a reliable red or blue color in the electoral college map. But that concept is being changed this year, at least in the Republican category. In tomorrow's election, the electoral college map could have a decidedly different color scheme.

In the 2000 and 2004 elections, very few states changed from their designated position in the electoral college map. That favored Bush both times, since he won the same states that put him over 270 electoral votes. That helped sell the perception that a state is entirely red or blue, and that cannot be changed.

But in 2008, John McCain could be the candidate that changes all that, if only because he has lost the loyalty of so many red states.

Red states are supposed to vote for Republicans all the time, so goes the stereotype. But the electoral college map is showing a different color for an unprecedented large number of red states.

Barack Obama has substantial leads in the red states of Virginia, Iowa, New Mexico and Colorado, and perhaps in Florida as well. Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Nevada, and even Montana and North Carolina are toss ups as well.

11 states that were supposed to stay red could all be blue on this year's electoral college map. Even if most of them stay red, Obama could still win early tomorrow night if just a few red states stay blue.

Unlike McCain, Obama has maintained safe leads in all of the traditional blue states. They all make up 252 electoral votes that are almost in the bag, although Pennsylvania is still heavily contended. If Obama maintains those leads, he needs only 18 votes from the 126 electoral votes up for grabs in the 11 red states to take the election.

Iowa, New Mexico and Virginia are already considered red states that are almost certainly going to turn blue for Obama. They combine for 25 electoral votes, which would put Obama over the top if nothing goes wrong in Pennsylvania or the other blue states.