Democracy is on the ballot. Which races will determine if Democrats will Hold The House?
Who are the candidates? How can you support them? How can technology help keep track of these races in a fast moving environment.
A volunteer group created this map with the help from DemLabs using a list of 75 key races originally compiled by Jon "Bowzer" Bauman. Each race is coded by status and includes links to the candidate's website and donation page. How does this map help in mobilize support and donations? How can maps make the best use of limited resources?
- You can see 75 key races at a glance
- Filter races by HOLD, PICKUP, FLIP
- Direct readers immediately to the candidates website
- Identify clusters of competitive races in an area
- Share information with organizers, volunteers and donors
- Quickly update information as the situation changes
How this map was created
This map was designed with ArcGIS Online in a few hours. First the list of key races were were first coded with the district ID. For instance Susie Lee's race in Nebraska's 3rd district was saved along with links to her website and donation page.
Next this information was overlaid on a map with 441 congressional districts. This process is called a 'JOIN' where the information about each race is mapped on the district boundary using its district code (such as NE-01). Each key race was color coded by its status.
A web app was created with this map. This lets the reader click on a race to get more details. The app includes icons to help readers:
- INFO BOX - details on how to use the app, other groups and acknowledgements
- LEGEND - what the colors in the map represent
- SHARE - how to share the map with others or embed it in a website
- FILTER - choose the kind of races you are interested in
Use the best technology available
Technology can help make sense of fast moving events and make the best use of limited resources. We used ArcGIS Online for this project as it can easily handle large amounts of data, is flexible and affordable. An annual license for ArcGIS Online for a non-profit costs about $50/month. Progressive and Democratic groups can learn more about how to use mapping here. In many cases DemLabs will also provide pro bono consulting. Apply here.
"Build interactive web maps with ArcGIS Online, Esri's web-based mapping software. Gain new perspectives and enhanced details as you interact with data, zoom in, and search on the map. Use smart, data-driven mapping styles and intuitive analysis tools to gain location intelligence. Work effectively across your organization by collaboratively building and using maps. Share your insights with specific people or the entire world." - esri ArcGIS Online
Protect our freedoms
"Americans value our freedoms. But Trump Republicans want to take away freedom from all who do not look, live and love like them. From freedom to decide if and when we grow our families, to freedom to vote, to freedom for our families to thrive, Trump Republicans want to control us, use violence to overthrow elections, and block the policies we favor. Americans must join together across race, place and party to protect our freedoms. In 2020, we defeated Trump; this November, we will defeat Trumpism." - FrameShift / ASO Communications
Democracy is on the ballot in the midterms
"The president’s party usually struggles in a midterm because the inevitable imperfections of governing strain the majority coalition. Some agenda items don’t make it through Congress. Others do but don’t instantly make everything better. Intractable problems remain intractable. Base voters get demoralized, and swing voters—with their natural interest in balance—swing. Meanwhile, the opposition party can shelve their own internal divisions and keep the focus on the president’s party’s problems.
Today’s abortion crisis flips that script. It is the opposition party that enacted a major policy, thanks to activist judges on the Supreme Court installed by Republicans. And it’s a policy that had an immediate impact, disorienting the lives of millions. The three authors of the 2010 paper noted that “balancing behavior can reflect not only the current party balance at midterm but also party balance from the past,” thanks to “inherited” policies. The conservative unleashing of abortion bans appears poised to be a quintessential case.
Simultaneously, Trump’s aggressive politicking and legal dramas further embroil Republican mistakes in the midterm mix. For example, the slate of Senate Republican nominees in competitive states is entirely composed of Trump endorsees, and they are all underperforming, some comically so. Abortion bans upset balance today. The specter of a Trump return, aided and abetted by a fresh army of minions, risks balance tomorrow." - Washington Monthly
TakeAway: Work smarter, not harder with better technology. There is a lot on the line in the midterms!
Deepak
DemLabs
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