Before that, the color distinction would switch each presidential election cycle. Here's a look at how red and blue became the colors of the election and why it changed to signify certain parties.

NBC News' 1988 electoral map marked states won by Republican George H.W. Bush in blue and states won by Democrat Michael Dukakis in red. NBC News via YouTube Television’s first dynamic ...

Blue flowed at this year's Democratic National Convention, while red dominated at the Republic National Convention. People WCCO talked with assumed the color distinctions have been that way for ...