Jennifer Mapes Precinct-level voting results help us better understand political views at the neighborhood scale. Unfortunately, most election results are shared at the county level which does not reflect the diverse geographies found locally. I wrote an journal article for Growth and Change that talks about what this means for studying small towns. Precinct-level data is not universally reported by counties and states, suggesting the need for improved data transparency and reporting. Here in Portage County, OH, the data is released relatively quickly after the election, allowing me to map it out and analyze sub-county patterns and politics.
In 2023, Portage County voting included state-wide issues on abortion rights and legalizing marijuana. I analyzed the results for The Portager and mapped out these issues as well as local voting patterns for taxes supporting developmental disabilities, mental health, and parks.
In 2024, I mapped precinct-level results of national and state elections, and wrote an analysis for The Portager. I also took a closer look at a particularly contentious local election, for county sheriff, looking at how votes followed and strayed from straight party-line votes.
