Electoral maps quiz: take Slate’s presidential election challenge.

Test your knowledge of electoral history.

Test your knowledge of electoral history.

Who's winning, who's losing, and why.
Oct. 30 2012 3:53 PM

Can You Beat Slate’s Electoral Map Challenge?

Test your knowledge of election history.

The race is close! Talking heads and voters chatter nervously about the prospect that the election contest will be settled in court. An Electoral College tie could yield a Republican president and a Democratic vice president. It’s tempting to think that this is just the American way: the fate of the country resting on a few battlegrounds. But today’s partisan strongholds were yesterday’s swing states, and winners have sometimes won handily. Below, Slate challenges you to demonstrate your grasp of presidential election history.

You’ll face 12 electoral maps, randomly generated from presidential elections since 1860. States are shaded according to the party of the candidate who won them: red for Republicans, blue for Democrats, and green for third parties or even splits. For each map, pick the proper election out of four choices before the timer runs out. Every correct answer is worth 45 electoral votes. Collect 270 to come out on top. Good luck!

Your Electoral Votes: 0

Map 1 of 12

The Polls Are In!

You scored 0 electoral votes.

Sorry, you didn't win. There's always next election!

Time to pack for the White House!

Play again

Rank: , who won  electoral votes in .

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To take the quiz again, refresh the page for a completely new set of answers and choices.

Chris Kirk is a web developer at New York magazine and Slate’s former interactives editor. Follow him on Twitter.