Blue and Red Counties in the 2008 Presidential Election: An Analysis of Intracluster Correlation

Recent theories suggest that individuals are clustering within culturally and politically homogeneous neighborhoods. This clustering has led to an increasingly polarized electorate comprised of individuals who have an increased intolerance for ideas and behaviors that are different from their own (Bishop, 2008). The 2008 American National Election Time Series Study (ANETSS), a nationallyrepresentative political behavior and public opinion survey, is based on a probability sample of 82 Counties. Using intracluster correlation as a measure of “sameness” on key outcomes (e.g., political ideology, voting behavior, religious affiliation, and political enthusiasm), we evaluate whether or not the 2008 ANETSS data support the clustering theory within counties.