Dave's Redistricting App

[Bacon King]

Are the Hispanic areas dense enough for two districts, or will we be seeing a return of the Earmuffs?

[muon2]

Are the Hispanic areas dense enough for two districts, or will we be seeing a return of the Earmuffs?

The SW Chicago area easily has enough Hispanic population for a 65% (58% VAP) district by itself. That's just using the data in the App. No earmuffs should be needed. 

The NW area may have enough for a district as well, but that depends on how far out into the suburbs the district extends. Precincts can be pretty coarse for setting up minority districts. Block-level data will give a better idea as to the possibilities on the NW side.

[Brittain33]

I recently learned about the race riot in Cicero in the 1950s (?) when a black family tried to move into town... they were driven out by mobs of white people. You can see the outcome today in the sharp right angle delineating largely Hispanic neighborhoods of Cicero from African-American neighborhoods. The town still has almost no black residents.

[Torie]

I recently learned about the race riot in Cicero in the 1950s (?) when a black family tried to move into town... they were driven out by mobs of white people. You can see the outcome today in the sharp right angle delineating largely Hispanic neighborhoods of Cicero from African-American neighborhoods. The town still has almost no black residents.

When I was in Chicago, about 1970, a black family moved in on the west side of Cicero Blvd/Ave/St (the dividing line between Chicago and Cicero) in the afternoon, a mob formed, and the block captain moved them out that evening, with his boys moving out all their furniture. And that was the end of that. Nobody seemed to wonder why law enforcement seemed absent.

[Brittain33]

I recently learned about the race riot in Cicero in the 1950s (?) when a black family tried to move into town... they were driven out by mobs of white people. You can see the outcome today in the sharp right angle delineating largely Hispanic neighborhoods of Cicero from African-American neighborhoods. The town still has almost no black residents.

When I was in Chicago, about 1970, a black family moved in on the west side of Cicero Blvd/Ave/St (the dividing line between Chicago and Cicero) in the afternoon, a mob formed, and the block captain moved them out that evening, with his boys moving out all their furniture. And that was the end of that. Nobody seemed to wonder why law enforcement seemed absent.

That must have been it. I read about it in The Warmth of Other Suns, a great book.

[Sam Spade]

Are the Hispanic areas dense enough for two districts, or will we be seeing a return of the Earmuffs?

The SW Chicago area easily has enough Hispanic population for a 65% (58% VAP) district by itself. That's just using the data in the App. No earmuffs should be needed. 

The NW area may have enough for a district as well, but that depends on how far out into the suburbs the district extends. Precincts can be pretty coarse for setting up minority districts. Block-level data will give a better idea as to the possibilities on the NW side.

Which reminds me - have you had a chance to look at Austin and environs to see if a Hispanic majority CD can be created w/o San Antonio. My 10 min look at last night the VTD suggests it'll fall a few percent short and would be extremely ugly anyway.

[muon2]

Are the Hispanic areas dense enough for two districts, or will we be seeing a return of the Earmuffs?

The SW Chicago area easily has enough Hispanic population for a 65% (58% VAP) district by itself. That's just using the data in the App. No earmuffs should be needed. 

The NW area may have enough for a district as well, but that depends on how far out into the suburbs the district extends. Precincts can be pretty coarse for setting up minority districts. Block-level data will give a better idea as to the possibilities on the NW side.

Which reminds me - have you had a chance to look at Austin and environs to see if a Hispanic majority CD can be created w/o San Antonio. My 10 min look at last night the VTD suggests it'll fall a few percent short and would be extremely ugly anyway.

The core area for a district is Eastern Travis, Caldwell, Gonzales and Dewitt. I added short spurs to pick up New Braunfels and Seguin, which didn't look so bad. I then had to add a long spur through Victoria to Port Lavaca to get a full district at 50.2% VAP. That keeps out of San Antonio. It may be possible to run to Bryan instead of Port Lavaca, but I haven't fully worked on that.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

- McCain district in New York City excluding Staten Island

I've actually tried that, and it is possible. NY-9 (Anthony Weiner's district) is based in Kings County (Brooklyn) and Queens County, and I was able to make it into a Republican district in this 28-district map.

(I know, New York lost 2 districts instead of 1, so I'll have to redraw the map into 27 districts, but I'm sure NY-9 still works. You should remember, as I recall you asked me which districts had which colors.)

[Sam Spade]

Are the Hispanic areas dense enough for two districts, or will we be seeing a return of the Earmuffs?

The SW Chicago area easily has enough Hispanic population for a 65% (58% VAP) district by itself. That's just using the data in the App. No earmuffs should be needed. 

The NW area may have enough for a district as well, but that depends on how far out into the suburbs the district extends. Precincts can be pretty coarse for setting up minority districts. Block-level data will give a better idea as to the possibilities on the NW side.

Which reminds me - have you had a chance to look at Austin and environs to see if a Hispanic majority CD can be created w/o San Antonio. My 10 min look at last night the VTD suggests it'll fall a few percent short and would be extremely ugly anyway.

The core area for a district is Eastern Travis, Caldwell, Gonzales and Dewitt. I added short spurs to pick up New Braunfels and Seguin, which didn't look so bad. I then had to add a long spur through Victoria to Port Lavaca to get a full district at 50.2% VAP. That keeps out of San Antonio. It may be possible to run to Bryan instead of Port Lavaca, but I haven't fully worked on that.

That will be one ugly district.  I also have to wonder if it would withstand LULAC (or any number of other court decisions).

As for Bryan, unless the numbers have really changed, there won't be enough Hispanics to make it.  The Victoria area has far more Hispanics.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Donations are being accepted to help Dave continue to work on the app (I believe he's doing this full-time or close to full-time now). I chipped in $5; can't really afford more than that, thanks to my employment status, but considering how much I've used it, I figured I should give him something.

[Brittain33]

Donations are being accepted to help Dave continue to work on the app (I believe he's doing this full-time or close to full-time now). I chipped in $5; can't really afford more than that, thanks to my employment status, but considering how much I've used it, I figured I should give him something.

I donated a nice chunk of change for all the joy it's brought me. I hope its affiliation with a left-wing group doesn't cost it support from any who'd otherwise donate...

[minionofmidas]

Arizona '10 is up! (And a lot of other states, but I'd been waiting impatiently for Arizona.)

[Nhoj]

Yeah Wisconsin is up too, and it pleases me greatly! I can now find the population for any township in Wisconsin with ease instead of going through fact finders crap.

[Dgov]

Who determines the Precinct Boundries in each state?  Is it the legislature?

[muon2]

Who determines the Precinct Boundries in each state?  Is it the legislature?

In IL it is determined by the counties following guidelines set by state statute. Precincts are expected to conform to congressional and legislative district boundaries, and county board and ward boundaries are supposed to conform to precincts as nearly as practicible.

[will101]

I have a dumb question.  I've been playing with DRA for a couple of weeks now, and I can't figure how to make a jpeg (or any similar format) of the entire state, or any detailed section.  And I looked here, but this is getting to be a looong thread.  Any tips?  MTIA

[minionofmidas]

Expand the area views section. You'll find a button titled "save view as jpg".

Or use screenshots. That's what Torie does.

[Bacon King]

Yeah, I always just use screenshots. Use your keyboard's "Print Scr" button, then paste into MSPaint or something; modify as necessary.

[will101]

I'll try that.  Thanks

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Dave's added partisan data for Washington (the 2010 Senate election).

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Dave's added partisan data for Washington (the 2010 Senate election).

But not the 2008 presidential election? Interesting.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Dave's added partisan data for Washington (the 2010 Senate election).

But not the 2008 presidential election? Interesting.

Someone sent him a spreadsheet with the 2010 results and apparently it was not too much work to convert it for use.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Partisan data has been added for Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota, and Nevada.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

More states with partisan data: GA, OH, SC, TX, and WI, with the caveat: "Note: The statewide vote totals for Georgia and South Carolina will look very low. That's because those states did not report early and absentee voting by precinct, and there was a lot of early voting. Rather than attempt to distribute them, we've left the precincts as is. It still should give a pretty accurate representation of Dem/Rep strength."

[they don't love you like i love you]

Texas has had it for awhile.