Redlands,
California-The
Registrar of Voters (ROV) of Alameda County, California, used ESRI's geographic
information system (GIS) software to simplify precinct analysis and polling
station siting processes during the 2008 election. The ROV's GIS-streamlined
processes saved the department time, money, and labor hours and improved
customer service. The public was able to visit a GIS-enabled Web site to see
election results at the precinct level in real time.
"Making
the switch to GIS saved us time," said Tim Dupuis, chief technology officer
(CTO), Alameda County. "In past elections, precinct consolidation took six
election technicians up to three weeks to complete. With our new GIS, these
tasks took three technicians from one to three days to complete." Time savings
from the new process allowed technicians to focus on better preparing and
organizing equipment and supplies for polling stations.
Weston
Solutions, an ESRI business partner, worked with the ROV to create an
easy-to-use ArcIMS application for election technicians. As a result, each
process done in preparation for an election is completed more efficiently.
Rather than looking at a list of buildings available to serve as polling
stations, election technicians accessed GIS to see buildings on a precinct
basemap and determine how many voters each station could serve. They also used
GIS to assign more than 4,000 volunteers to polling stations on Election Day.
Election
Web sites usually show results at the state level. Alameda's old Web site
offered an election results mapping function, but it was difficult and time
consuming for technicians to prepare the Web site for an election. This time, ArcIMS applications helped the election
technicians easily maintain the ROV's GIS Web site. Moreover, the Web site gave
results of all current elections at a precinct level. It also served as an
important resource to local news and political organizations. When ballot
results came in from the polling stations, the GIS automatically updated the map
so the public could see the results for federal, state, and local elections at
the county and precinct levels.
ROV
staff used the GIS to quickly find answers to people's questions about ballots
or polling station locations. "One citizen came to the offices thinking he had
received the wrong ballot in the mail. In less than five minutes, we showed him
on a map that parts of his street were in different precincts, and assured him
that indeed he had received the correct ballot," said Dupuis.
Precinct
GIS maps are published on CDs and sold via the Web site or at the ROV office.
Other agencies and media organizations that need precinct maps are able to
obtain them immediately. This effort has helped the ROV streamline its overall
business process to address its goals more efficiently.
Alameda County Registrar of Voters Improves Election Processes with ESRI's GIS
November 26, 2008
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