Before Analysis: Explore Data
- Navigate to the C:/ElectionWorkshop directory in Windows and launch (double-click) ElectionGIS2012.mxd. Within ArcMap, we will explore each layer's Attribute Table and Symbology.
Step #1: Geocode Home Address
- This step will plot a point at any address in Texas so we can analyze local demographics and voting patterns.
- Click (1) Geocode Home Address on the toolbar
- Select the Locations tab
- Type any address in Texas
- Click Find
- Right-click the top result, and select Add Point
Step #2: Buffer Address
- This step will draw a buffer (radius) around the address we just plotted.
- Ensure the Specified Distance and Units are set to 1 Mile.
- Click Next
- Last minute edit: Seems as if the default location is throwing an error message.
- Hit the browse button, change the type to Shapefile
- Save
- Click Finish
Step #3: Spatial Join
- This step will calculate summary statistics within our buffer.
- Click (3) Spatial Join on the toolbar.
- Ensure that the top drop-down box contains the name of the buffer we made in the previous step.
- Click OK
- When completed, right-click the newly created SpatialJoinBuffer layer in the layer list and select Open Attribute Table to view the results.
Step #4: Republican Likelihood 2012
- This step requires the Spatial Analyst Extension to be enabled.
- Customize/Extnesions at the top
- Ensure Spatial Analyst is checked
- This step will predict the % likelihood that any zip code in Texas will vote Republican in the upcoming Presidential election.
- This is the crucial step, so get your thinking caps on and fired up!
- There are six (6) variables. For each variable we need to reclassify and assign a weight.
- Click (4) Republican Likelihood 2012 on the toolbar.
- **Note**: Please remember to hit the Classify button for each variable so the form can calculate the proper min/max values for the classifications.
- For each of the six (6) variables we are considering, we must specify both the Reclassified Values and the Weight.
- The Reclass field drop-down menus are all set to Value and should not be changed.
- When complete, click OK.
- This may take a couple of minutes, depending on the speed of your computer.
- When comeplete, two new files will be generated.
- predict - Raster layer containing likelihood on our 1 to 10 scale.
- predictzip - contains our prediction in % format for each zip code in Texas.
Step #5: Export to Google Earth
- This step will overlay our zip code prediction layer onto Google Earth.
- Before launching the tool, we need to set the symbology to Graduated Colors.
- Click (5) Export to Google Earth on the toolbar.
- For the Layer, specify the predictzip file we just generated.
- For the Output File, select a destination and name. I recommend the Desktop as it is easily accessible.
- For the Layer Output Scale, enter 1.
- Click OK
- When complete, navigate (outside of ArcGIS) to the directory you saved the KMZ file, and double-click it.