Every month, and often more frequently, a new story appears about the state-by-state battle between Tesla Motors and auto-dealer lobbyists.

In some states, Tesla is permitted to sell its electric cars online, deliver them to customers, and open as many Tesla Store showrooms as it wants.

In others, many or all of those activities have been forbidden under state laws newly altered to make it illegal for car companies to sell cars to retail buyers, requiring all vehicles to be purchased through a third-party dealership.

DON'T MISS: Michigan Gov Snyder Signs Anti-Tesla Bill Called 'Corrupt Politics At Its Worst'

Six months ago, Mojo Motors put together a handy map of the states where Tesla can legally sell cars.

[UPDATE: This article was first posted in November 2014; we updated it as of mid-March 2015 and again in late April 2015, to reflect the latest version of the map provided by Mojo Motors, adding New Jersey and Maryland to the list of legal states.]

Red states and blue states: Average margin of presidential victory, 1992 through 2008 [Wikipedia]

Red states and blue states: Average margin of presidential victory, 1992 through 2008 [Wikipedia]

We actually printed it out and hung it next to our desk as a handy reference guide--but it seemed a useful thing to share.

Mojo has updated the map for new state-by-state cases based on the news as of three days ago, so it should be entirely current.

ALSO SEE: Iowa Dealers Shut Down Tesla Test Drives As Rep Humiliates Them

Last month in Michigan, for example, Governor Rick Snyder (who was re-elected on Tuesday) signed a bill that more explicitly banned Tesla from selling in the state.

That bill, with the anti-Tesla language added in a closed reconciliation process, was called "corrupt politics at its worst" by one analyst of Michigan legislation.

State map showing where Tesla Motors can (blue) and can't (red) sell cars [Mojo Motors, Nov 2014]

State map showing where Tesla Motors can (blue) and can't (red) sell cars [Mojo Motors, Nov 2014]

And there have been other examples too.

The Mojo Motors map, however, has an interesting graphic twist: States where Tesla is legal are noted in blue, with the anti-Tesla states in red.

MORE: Car Dealers Fire Back: Why Negotiating Is Good For Car Buyers (Video)

We'll let you do the comparison yourself between the Tesla map and a map of the red state/blue state divide in U.S. political sentiment over five presidential elections.

See any similarities?

[MAP SOURCE: Map showing average margins of presidential victory from 1992 through 2008 from Wikipedia page on "Red states and blue states"]

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