I have long believed that deep data surprises can help overcome our natural tendency toward confirmation bias, that is, the selective acceptance of facts. Using an interactive data tool to explore election results in places you know — and those you do not know at all — is a wonderful way to surprise yourself.

My hope is that many, many people explore this NYT interactive map and trigger their central route to changing attitudes about what partisan labels mean as well as who, where (and perhaps why) people voted one way or the other.