During the lead-up to the November election, the Electoral College map has become a source of amusement rather than anxiety for many Americans. Mock versions of the map, which involve coloring the country blue or red and adding a joke about how Democrats or Republicans could win, have become a popular political meme. Accessible interactive maps and map generators have made it easier for people to create and share these memes. The trend dates back to the 2000 election when George W. Bush narrowly beat Al Gore, leading to the creation of meme maps labeling the U.S. as the “United States of Florida.” Shows like “Saturday Night Live” have also featured skits about the Electoral College map. In more recent years, sites like Funny or Die and FiveThirtyEight have posted humorous Electoral College maps, sparking a flurry of social media memes. This trend has continued during the 2020 election, with many jokes circulating online during the Democratic National Convention, especially regarding potential surprise guests. While no guests like Katy Perry or Beyoncé appeared, X users created joke maps imagining a scenario where their appearance would result in an entirely blue Electoral College map. The humor surrounding the Electoral College map is likely to continue in future elections.
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