{"id":2951666,"date":"2025-12-15T07:19:59","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T15:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=2951666"},"modified":"2025-12-15T09:37:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T17:37:50","slug":"how-to-make-a-political-map-in-arcgis-pro","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/how-to-make-a-political-map-in-arcgis-pro","title":{"rendered":"How to make a political map in ArcGIS Pro"},"author":6971,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[22941],"tags":[26451,27981,776152,31301],"industry":[],"product":[36561],"class_list":["post-2951666","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mapping","tag-cartography","tag-layout","tag-political","tag-symbology","product-arcgis-pro"],"acf":{"short_description":"Here's how to make those inner rings of color along the perimeters of areas in political maps. We'll get inspired by National Geographic.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MailCompose\">Here&#8217;s how you can make the classic National Geographic sort of political style map, with inner tint band ribbon buffalo tint things, AND ensure no colors touch each other. We&#8217;ll use way more tools than you think and rely on a hotly contested mathematical theorem!<br \/>\nAll from the comfort of ArcGIS Pro.<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2951669,"id":2951669,"title":"PoliticalMapStyle_USA","filename":"PoliticalMapStyle_USA.jpg","filesize":478071,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/how-to-make-a-political-map-in-arcgis-pro\/politicalmapstyle_usa","alt":"Contiguous United States in a political map style","author":"6971","description":"","caption":"","name":"politicalmapstyle_usa","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2951666,"date":"2025-12-15 14:52:54","modified":"2025-12-15 14:54:17","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1920,"height":1242,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA.jpg","medium-width":403,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":497,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA.jpg","large-width":1670,"large-height":1080,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA-1536x994.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":994,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1242,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA-719x465.jpg","card_image-width":719,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA-1670x1080.jpg","wide_image-width":1670,"wide_image-height":1080}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>Here&#8217;s a closer look at the three component&#8217;s we&#8217;ll be styling up: an inner tint band of color (aka Buffalo tint), a thicker semitransparent band of color, and a dotted border line.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2951670,"id":2951670,"title":"PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail","filename":"PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail.jpg","filesize":269613,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/how-to-make-a-political-map-in-arcgis-pro\/politicalmapstyle_usa_detail","alt":"A closeup of a contiguous United States map in a political map style","author":"6971","description":"","caption":"","name":"politicalmapstyle_usa_detail","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2951666,"date":"2025-12-15 14:54:18","modified":"2025-12-15 14:54:49","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1920,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail.jpg","large-width":1920,"large-height":1080,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail-1536x864.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1080,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail-826x465.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail.jpg","wide_image-width":1920,"wide_image-height":1080}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_USA_Detail.jpg"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>Buckle up, it&#8217;s time to get political! With our map styles&#8230;<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"youtube","start_time":"0","end_time":"","youtube_video_url":"<iframe title=\"How to Make a Political Map in ArcGIS Pro\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yn7rxPeaGgw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>0:00 Politically correct introduction<br \/>\n1:03 Behold! The <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/help\/mapping\/layer-properties\/list-of-symbol-effects.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">donut symbol effect<\/a>!<br \/>\n1:48 <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/cartography\/calculate-color-theorem-field.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Color theorem<\/a> calculation time<br \/>\n3:10 Unique value symbology<br \/>\n3:20 Hacking the &#8220;Favorites&#8221; style for quick symbol bashing<br \/>\n5:13 Customizing an individual color<br \/>\n5:24 Duplicating and modifying a layer<br \/>\n6:21 Setting a reference scale<br \/>\n6:42 <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/3.4\/tool-reference\/data-management\/polygon-to-line.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Polygon to line<\/a>, and topological <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/data-management\/integrate.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">integration<\/a> insurance<br \/>\n8:40 Customizing a dash pattern<\/p>\n<p>And that&#8217;s how you can make a handsome political-style map in ArcGIS Pro. But wait, there&#8217;s more!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Don&#8217;t want to convert polygons into lines for that dotted border? Use the <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/cartography\/set-control-point-at-intersect.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Set Control Point At Intersect<\/a> tool in the cartography toolbox (thanks Craig Williams!).<\/li>\n<li>Now that you have a political style map, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/add-multiple-maps-to-one-layout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here&#8217;s<\/a> how to construct an ArcGIS Pro layout with Alaska and Hawaii insets.<\/li>\n<li>What about ArcGIS Online? Russell Roberts ported this style to the web and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/instant\/insets\/index.html?appid=d0ab7a32f2694862b86dfc8669d46e0c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">used the Inset instant app<\/a> to nestle Alaska and Hawaii within view.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Happy political mapping! Love, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@JohnNelsonMaps\/videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">John<\/a><\/p>\n"}],"authors":[{"ID":6971,"user_firstname":"John","user_lastname":"Nelson","nickname":"John Nelson","user_nicename":"j_nelson","display_name":"John Nelson","user_email":"John_Nelson@esri.com","user_url":"http:\/\/www.adventuresinmapping.com","user_registered":"2018-03-02 00:19:05","user_description":"I have far too much fun looking for ways to understand and present data visually, hopefully driving product strategy and engaging users. I work in the ArcGIS Living Atlas team at Esri, pushing and pulling data in all sorts of absurd ways and then sharing the process. I also design user experiences for maps and apps.\r\nWhen I'm not doing those things, I'm chasing around toddlers and wrangling chickens, and generally getting into other ad-hoc adventures. Life is good.\r\nYou might also like these Styles for ArcGIS Pro: esriurl.com\/nelsonstyles","user_avatar":"<img data-del=\"avatar\" src='https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Profile.jpg' class='avatar pp-user-avatar avatar-96 photo ' height='96' width='96'\/>"}],"related_articles":[{"ID":2490092,"post_author":"6971","post_date":"2024-09-16 12:57:35","post_date_gmt":"2024-09-16 19:57:35","post_content":"","post_title":"Add Multiple Maps to One Layout","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"add-multiple-maps-to-one-layout","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-09-16 12:57:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-09-16 19:57:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=2490092","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"show_article_image":false,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PoliticalMapStyle_card.jpg","wide_image":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to make a political map in ArcGIS Pro<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/how-to-make-a-political-map-in-arcgis-pro\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to 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I work in the ArcGIS Living Atlas team at Esri, pushing and pulling data in all sorts of absurd ways and then sharing the process. I also design user experiences for maps and apps. When I'm not doing those things, I'm chasing around toddlers and wrangling chickens, and generally getting into other ad-hoc adventures. Life is good. You might also like these Styles for ArcGIS Pro: esriurl.com\/nelsonstyles","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.adventuresinmapping.com","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/johnmnelson\/","www.linkedin.com\/in\/johnmnelson","https:\/\/x.com\/john_m_nelson","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/JohnNelsonMaps"],"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/author\/j_nelson"}]}},"text_date":"December 15, 2025","author_name":"John Nelson","author_page":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/author\/j_nelson","custom_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Newsroom-Keyart-Wide-1920-x-1080.jpg","primary_product":"ArcGIS Pro","tag_data":[{"term_id":26451,"name":"cartography","slug":"cartography","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":26451,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":558,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":27981,"name":"Layout","slug":"layout","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":27981,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":36,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":776152,"name":"political","slug":"political","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":776152,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":31301,"name":"symbols and symbology","slug":"symbology","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":31301,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":194,"filter":"raw"}],"category_data":[{"term_id":22941,"name":"Mapping","slug":"mapping","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":22941,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":2691,"filter":"raw"}],"product_data":[{"term_id":36561,"name":"ArcGIS Pro","slug":"arcgis-pro","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":36561,"taxonomy":"product","description":"","parent":0,"count":2037,"filter":"raw"}],"primary_product_link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?s=#&products=arcgis-pro","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/2951666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6971"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2951666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/2951666\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2951666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2951666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2951666"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=2951666"},{"taxonomy":"product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product?post=2951666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}