Hyperlocal Election Mapping Made Easy

Timothy Goddard, Depiction, Inc.

Election Results by Precinct

+ Precinct maps _

Election Maps

• Finding the data

• Preparing the data

• Merging the data

• Colorizing the data

• Finding the data

• Preparing the data

• Merging the data

• Colorizing the dataUsing Depiction

What is Depiction?

• Mapping, Simulation & Collaboration Software

• Bringing expert-level capabilities (like election mapping) to everyday people

• Used in emergency management, real estate, small business and more.

• Finding the data

–This is the hard part!

–Two data types:

•Map/GIS Data

•Election Results

Finding the Data

• Map/GIS Data

– “Precincts” or “Voting Districts”

– Accessible at the Statewide or County level

– Shapefile format

– If not available online, try calling

• Statewide:

• County:

Finding the Data

• Election data– Precinct level results

– From different agencies• Statewide

– Secretary of state, board of elections

• County level– Auditor, clerk, registrar, elections division

– Usually not in a spreadsheet format• Which it needs to be!

• Best option—call & ask for a spreadsheet or similar document

• Preparing the data

–Turn it into a spreadsheet

–Save it as CSV

–Different types take different methods

Preparing Data

• Election Result Data Types

– Spreadsheets

• These are great & easy!

Preparing Data

• Election Result Data Types

– Delimited

– Paste into Excel

– ‘Text to Columns’

Semicolon:

Preparing Data

• Election Result Data Types

– HTML Tables

• Easiest tool: TableTools extension for FireFox

• Copy as tab-delimited text

• Paste into Excel

Preparing Data

• Election Result Data Types

– More difficult types

• Straight Text

• Multiple HTML Tables

– Copy/Paste the whole thinginto Excel

– “Slice & Dice” the data

• Slicing & Dicing

– Filtering

• To separate out columns

• Paste into new sheet

• Slicing & Dicing

– Search & Replace

• To remove extraneous information

• Slicing & Dicing

– Text to Columns

• To split off extraneous informationthat isn’t all identical

• Slicing & Dicing

– Do this column by column to build your spreadsheet

• Keep everything in its original order!

• If necessary, split the precinct number into itsown column

Preparing Data

• Preparing GIS Data

– Create a new Depiction file

– Set the area you want

– Import the Shapefile into Depiction

• (just drag & drop!)

• Finishing election data preparation

– Be sure to include the precinct number or other unique identifier as a column

– Name the unique identifier column “EID”

– The EID, or ‘Element ID’ is what will match the precinct shapes to the election information.

• Add vote percentage columns– Add a column for the one candidate percentages.

– Add a formula that calculates the percentage—something like: =B2/(B2+C2)

– ‘Fill down’ the entire column

– Do the same for the second candidate. Something like: =C2/(B2+C2)

– Set the decimal places to desired number (2-4, probably)

– Save as CSV and close it.

• Preparing GIS Data

– Find the unique precinct identifier field that matches your voting data

• “PRECINCTNUM”,“NUMBER” “Name,” etc

• Export it all to GML

• Delete the elements

• Preparing GIS Data– Open the GML in a text editor

– Search & replace the precinct field name with EID

– Also removethe “description”field

– Save the GMLdelete the.xsd file

– Import the GML back into Depiction.

Merging the Data

• Import the CSV

– Just drag, drop, and click ‘import’

Merging the data

• Wait for the import to complete– As long as your EIDs match up correctly, the new data

should be appended to the precinct elements.

– An alert will saynothing was imported, because no new elements were added.

– But new fields should be present

Colorizing the Data

• Click “Colorize”

• Select “thematic mapping”

• Choose one of the percent fields as the property value.

• Set the colors, click OK.

• You can also use a “Manual range selection”

– 0 – 1 for absolute coloring

– .499 - .501 for binary “red/blue” coloring

– .25 - .75 for more distinct absolute coloring

Tada!

Allegheny Co,Pennsylvania

2010 Senate Election

Tips & Tricks

• Be sure your precinct data is up to date• Be patient when dealing with hundreds or

thousands of precincts• Do spot checks to be sure your data is correct

– Between original election data & final CSV– Between original election data & final depiction

• Set hovertext for the precincts to name and both candidate percentages & total votes

• To compare multiple elections, delete the EID field, re-import the GML and repeat merge w/ new data

For more information:

www.depiction.com