Why the massive rural/urban divide?

[Alcon]

It's not a rural vs. urban divide so much as an exurban/suburban vs. metropolitan divide. Looking at maps tend to exaggerate the importance of rural areas, where less than 20% of the population lives. The GOP is getting its margins from suburban areas, while Democrats are getting their margins from the cities.

Depends where you are, although this is true overall.  What you describe is more of a northeastern phenomenon.  In some states (Washington included), cities are generally more Democratic than suburbs, but suburbs are generally about state average, while exurbs are more Republican than state average but oftentimes still Democratic.

[Alcon]

It's not a rural vs. urban divide so much as an exurban/suburban vs. metropolitan divide. Looking at maps tend to exaggerate the importance of rural areas, where less than 20% of the population lives. The GOP is getting its margins from suburban areas, while Democrats are getting their margins from the cities.

Depends where you are, although this is true overall.  What you describe is more of a northeastern phenomenon.  In some states (Washington included), cities are generally more Democratic than suburbs, but suburbs are generally about state average, while exurbs are more Republican than state average but oftentimes still Democratic.

Interesting... though I think what I described more than just a northeastern phenomenon, with California being the most obvious and extreme example. Though, what you describe is interesting. I would like to see a map of King and Pierce counties broken up into township-like results, along with population densities. Even if these suburban areas are marginally Democratic, I'd still argue the Republican voters inside these areas are significantly more numerous (and thus important to the GOP) than rural Republican voters.

California is very true.  I guess it's not just northeastern - good point.

Affluent Seattle suburbs like Bellevue and Redmond generally vote about 60% Democrat.  Suburban Seattle is about 70%.  The outer suburbs are around 50-60% Democrat; Seattle exurbs are narrowly Democratic.

Pierce County is mainly Tacoma (which is about 60%), Tacoma suburbs (narrowly Democratic), and Tacoma exurbs (Republican).  The exurbs are more populous relative to the suburbs than normal, and closer in.  There aren't really any Seattle exburbs in Pierce, but there are in Snohomish (they are around 55% Democrat).

I'm afraid we don't have townships, but here's a precinct map:



A lot of the red in the southeast is marginal Bush victories; the legislative district down there actually voted Kerry.

I haven't really looked at any other area in detail, but I always had the impression that suburbs leaned Democratic until I saw exit poll numbers that disagreed with that in virtually every case.

[Alcon]

Rural
 59,061,367
 21.0
 
of which: - Place of 2,500 or more
 4,089,599
 1.5
 
 - Place of 1,000 to 2,499
 4,989,152
 1.8
 
 - Place of less than 1,000
 3,821,336
 1.4
 
 - Not in place
 46,161,280
 16.4

wtf??

That is, the area they in is not incorporated as a town/city/village/township/borough or tracked as a Census-designated place (unincorporated but tracked as if it was).  I guess.

That or someone at the Census department has a good sense of humour.

[Alcon]

Rural
 59,061,367
 21.0
 
of which: - Place of 2,500 or more
 4,089,599
 1.5
 
 - Place of 1,000 to 2,499
 4,989,152
 1.8
 
 - Place of less than 1,000
 3,821,336
 1.4
 
 - Not in place
 46,161,280
 16.4

wtf??

That is, the area they in is not incorporated as a town/city/village/township/borough or tracked as a Census-designated place (unincorporated but tracked as if it was).  I guess.

And 16.4% of Americans live in such a place?  That's more than I would have imagined.

Lots of subdivisions outside of cities are not tracked by CDPs.  Towns themselves have very small boundaries.  You know when you see signs like "Now leaving (Whatever)"?  That's where the incorporated cities end.  There are plenty of people in these areas, although I'd have expected fewer, too.