I’ve just uploaded a new version and created a survey, which is now open.
What’s new in 2.0.4: a new way of coloring districts. I really like it and I hope you agree. The old way is still there, too, so you have a choice.
You can toggle between the old and new way to color from the File Menu. Also, if you let the “How To” banner appear on startup, you’ll get a dialog box to choose. More detail below the fold.
The new coloring method is similar to the old, but makes 2 key changes, that I hope you agree are improvements:
(1) You can click the “Color Districts” button (labeled “Coloring Is Off” for the old way) to turn on coloring. (Double-click also still toggles Coloring Mode.)
(2) You have to hold down the mouse button as you sweep to color districts, so you can maneuver better in coloring mode.
Advantages:
(1) You don’t as often accidentally color districts you don’t want.
(2) You can move to the control panel and change CDs or opacity without leaving Coloring Mode.
(3) You can hover over a district and get its population data tooltip, so you can decide whether to color it or not.
And this allows for an additional feature that I’m very excited about: Draw a box and color everything inside it. When you hold down the Ctrl key and mouse button and move the mouse (called Ctrl-Drag) you draw a box on the map. When you release the mouse button all districts in the box are colored. I’ve been trying this out and it allows you to work much faster!
The survey is 22 questions, most short and easy. It’s open until January 17th. Please take it after you’ve tried the new coloring method. I really value your feedback.
I’m in the midst of planning for this year. It’s not a done deal yet, but I’ve got some good leads on funding for the app and I plan to focus full time on it for most of this year. The survey will help me improve and enhance the app.
Thanks!
[Update] I bought a MacBook and started looking at the interaction with the app:
— Drawing a box to color indeed does not work, because the Ctrl key maps to a Right Mouse Button Click. I will be able to fix this by using a different key, but that will take a little time.
— For sweeping to color districts with the New Way, you can use the three-finger metaphor on the trackpad; it is the same as pushing down on the trackpad with 1 finger and sweeping with another. The three finger approach seems much easier to me.
— I am still not able to repro the cases where panning flies off the screen.
Thanks for all of your responses to the survey. It will be open for 1 more week!
the new coloring method. Question: on OS X, the control key is a universal substitute for the right click. That appears to mean that drawing boxes doesn’t work. Is there a way to hand this function over to the Command key?
your work on this redistricting stuff. As soon as I can figure out how to set my VCR I going to download this redistricting app. I need to keep up with the times.
I don’t know how feasible this is, but I have an idea for your app. When I redistrict New York, I like to keep most of Monroe county in one district, but it’s tedious drawing all the precincts because I just want the entire county. So, is it possible to allow one to click an entire county and have it added to a district? For example, to save a whole lot of time, one can click an entire county in West Texas and add it to a district. Let me know if you don’t understand this idea. It’s something that would make my life easier, but I don’t know if it’s possible.
Thanks for your hard work. Not only have you made me learn a whole lot about voting patters, you’ve also killed so much of my time this past year… and I’m grateful 🙂
It’s such a wonderful tool.
I have spent so much class time messing around with this. You are a savior. I have one question. I have been using the old version for several reasons, but this knocks out the biggest one. However, all else being equal i would like for it to be possible to see counties/cities like the old version did. It can be difficult to tell where the start and end. Or perhaps its just me, I dont know.
I’m enjoying it a lot!
These are not fix maps for me. These include some lines for follow.
WA-01:
J Inslee (D) Bainbridge Island (Kitsap)
My stimation tell this district should by some point over 58% Obama D+5. This would be the goal.
Top-10 city: Seattle (1st)
Top-10 county: Whatcom (9th), part of King (1st), part of Kitsap (6th).
WA-02:
R Larsen (D) Lake Stivens (Snohomish)
Only Snohomish county (58% Obama D+5).
Top-10 city: Everett (6th)
Top-10 county: Snohomish (3rd)
WA-03:
J Herrera (R) Camas (Clark)
Mi stimation about this district give 48.22% Obama R+4. Enough good for the republicans.
Top-10 city: Vancouver (4th)
Top-10 county: Clark (5th) and part of Pierce (2nd).
WA-04:
D Hastings (R) Pasco (Franklin)
Top-10 city: Yakima (10th)
Top-10 county: Yakima (7th) and Benton (10th)
WA-05:
C McMorris Rodgers (R) Spokane (Spokane)
Top-10 city: Spokane (2nd) and Spokane Valley (7th)
Top-10 county: Spokane (4th)
WA-06:
N Dicks (D) Bremerton (Kitsap)
My stimation tell this district should by some point over 58% Obama D+5. This would be the goal again.
Top-10 city: Seattle (1st)
Top-10 county: Thurston (8th), part of King (1st) part of Kitsap (6th).
WA-07:
J McDermott (D) Seattle (King)
D+very high after make enough safe WA-01, WA-06 and WA-10.
Top-10 city: part of Seattle (1st)
Top-10 county: inside King (1st)
WA-08:
D Reichert (R) Auburn (King)
Still I can not give stimation about this district. The goal would be to leave a R+1 or as maximum.
Top-10 city: Federal Way (8th) and Kent (9th)
Top-10 county: part of King (1st) and little part of Pierce (2nd)
WA-09:
A Smith (D) Tacoma (Pierce)
Would be a 58% Obama district including the most democratic areas of the Pierce county (55% Obama).
Top-10 city: Tacoma (3rd)
Top-10 county: inside Pierce (2nd)
WA-10:
OPEN S Del Bene (D) Medina (King)
Still I can not give stimation about this district.
The goal would be a new 58% Obama district (at least) inside King county (70% Obama) and based in Bellevue.
Top-10 city: Bellevue (5th)
Top-10 county: inside King (1st)
With this map the chance of move the limits between WA-07, WA-10 and WA-08 inside King county is enough good for assure the goals.
The map only divide Kitsap county, because Inslee and Dicks live inside, King county and Pierce county.
Is anyone else having trouble getting rid of the Attention screen?
Great job as always. The drag box feature sounds really cool and a great way to fill in tiny precincts that are leftover at the end. sadly, as I am a Mac user I will have to wait until that is fixed to try it out.
Thanks for all your work on this application. I really enjoy drawing out maps for the GOP and for the Dems.
I’ve asked about it on the last update, but I’ve come up with some of the precinct maps from browsing since FL is still all census-tract based. I really have no clue on how to map them into the app, but I could send them to you if I manage to collect them all. I also have found some data for a few counties too at precinct level.