Abstract
In voting, maps are traditionally used to indicate voter turnout and/or election results with respect to political parties. This paper explores the use of geospatial choropleth maps to analyze voter arrival patterns through a case study of using logs from electronic poll books (EPB) across the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (RI). The EPB transaction logs record various metrics, such as the precinct number, location, and timestamp for every voter that checks in on Election Day. Geographically referenced jurisdiction datasets were plotted in ArcGIS and combined with the EPB transaction log data for the entire state’s 2018 Midterm elections to create the choropleth maps. The choropleth maps were shaded based on the percentage of total check-ins observed during selected time windows throughout the day.
Analyses were undertaken to assess the visual representation of arrival densities for both the state and its major metropolitan area. Arrival observations statewide were highlighted and expanded in conjunction with known jurisdiction profiles. At the town/city level arrival patterns were identified based urban/suburban and rural areas. A precinct level analysis was performed in the metropolitan area and revealed differing arrival patterns within the City of Providence. General observations are provided based on visual inspection. Identifying specific precinct groups with similar overarching trends of community voting behavior will require computationally based clustering methods. Future considerations of how data visualization of arrival patterns via EPBs are discussed.