Creating a new plan

Plan creation is simplified through tools available in Esri Redistricting Online. Demographics and district statistics allow you to create redistricting scenarios that ensure a balanced representation.

Steps:

1. Log in to Esri Redistricting Online.
2. On the Open Plan dialog box, click Create Plan.

   The New Plan wizard opens.

3. Select a District caption.

   A district caption is the leading label in each region of your plan. For example, if you select Precinct and have four regions, your plan will be labeled Precinct 1, Precinct 2, Precinct 3, and Precinct 4.

4. Select the number of districts.
5. Enter the maximum deviation percent.

   The maximum deviation percent lets you determine the allowable deviation for the redistricting plan. This deviation is used to calculate integrity checks and reports. The deviation also affects the District Statistics window.

6. Select the Census year.

   Esri Redistricting Online lets you create plans using either 2000 or 2010 Census data.

   Note:

   Availability of 2010 data depends on the U.S. Department of Justice release cycle for the Census 2010 data. Additional states will be made visible as the data becomes available.

7. Select the source geography:

   A source geography is the geographic region for which a plan is created.

   • Select a State to add state data.
   • Select a County to add individual county data from the desired state.
   • Select a City or Town to add places data from the desired state.
8. Select the data hierarchy from the drop-down menu:
   • County-Track-Block Group-Block
   • County-VDT-Block
   • Place-Block

   The data hierarchy determines the geographies used in the redistricting plan.

9. Click Next.
10. Modify the district color symbology (Optional).

    Symbology lets you customize the display color of each district. Changing the symbology color changes the district color or border color.

    The symbology color can be changed after a plan is created. See Changing the district symbology.
11. Click Next.
12. Check to select the demographics to display.
    • Sum displays a total count of the selected demographic per geography.
    • Percent displays the percent of the selected demographic in the geography.

    Selected demographics determine the population values displayed in the district table and in the charting components.

    The demographics can be changed after a plan is created. See Changing the display demographics.

13. Define a custom variable. For more information, see Working with custom variables (Optional).
14. Click Done.