Use Election Outreach

The Election Outreach solution delivers a set of capabilities that help you share information about current elected representatives with the public, get voters to an appropriate voting center or Election Day polling place, communicate voting wait times, and recruit poll workers.

In this topic, you’ll learn how to use the solution by assuming the role of a user and performing the workflows below.

Note:

Use your organization's data or configured apps to follow these workflows.

Find elected representatives

You will assume the role of a resident in the community who wants to find information on your election representatives.

1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization, and then browse to the Election Outreach solution.
2. View the Promoting Transparent Elections site and review the sections.
3. Scroll to the Who’s My Elected Representative section and click the Find My Representative button.

   The My Elected Representative app opens in a new tab or window.

4. In the Find My Elected Representative widget, under Search for an address or locate on map, type an address in your community and press the Enter key.
5. Review the list of elected offices.

   Using the list of elected offices, you can discover your elected representatives and their contact information. For example, county commissioners are responsible for the management of county funds and have fiscal and regulatory powers.

6. In the Elected Representative list, click County Commissioner.

   The list of county commissioners updates to display representatives. The number of representatives displayed in the pop-up varies by elected office.

7. Click the Back button to return to the list of elected representative.
8. In the Elected Representative list, click United State Senate to review senators representing this location.
9. When finished, close the My Elected Representative app and return to the Promoting Transparent Elections site.

Find a polling place

Many states divide communities into geographic areas and assign registered voters to designated polling places based on their residential address. On Election Day, ballots are cast at these designated polling places and then tabulated to determine the winner of a political contest or proposal.

You will assume the role of a voter interested in locating the polling place where your ballot can be cast on Election Day.

1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization, and then browse to the Election Outreach solution.
2. View the Promoting Transparent Elections site.
3. Scroll to the Voting Locations section and click the Find Polling Place button to open the Election Polling Places app.
4. In the Find My Polling Place widget, under Search for an address or locate on map, type an address in the community and press the Enter key.

   The map updates to display the area covered by the voting precinct where the address is located.

   The Information tab displays details about the polling place such as the election date, location, operational hours, and status.

5. Click the Directions tab.

   The tab displays turn-by-turn directions from the address to the polling station.

6. On the map, zoom out and note that the area surrounding your initial address has multiple polling places serving voters.
7. Click a different location on the map and observe how the app identifies a different precinct and how polling place details on the Information tab are updated.

   Information in the pop-up varies by location, depending on the election details.

8. Click the Directions tab to view turn-by-turn directions to the polling place.
9. When finished, close the Election Polling Places app and return to the Promoting Transparent Elections site.

Locate voting centers

Voting centers are an alternative to traditional, neighborhood-based precincts. When a jurisdiction opts to use voting centers, voters may cast their ballots on Election Day at any voting center in the jurisdiction, regardless of their residential address. Voting centers may also communicate early voting options such as mail-in drop boxes.

As a voter in the community, you are also interested in locating nearby voting centers and early voting options.

1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization, and then browse to the Election Outreach solution.
2. View the Promoting Transparent Elections site.
3. Scroll to the Voting Locations sections and click the Find Voting Centers button to open the Voting Centers app.
4. In the Locate Voting Center widget, click and slide the buffer distance to 5 miles.

   The slider allows a user to define a distance within which to locate voting centers once an address is entered or a location is identified on the map.

5. Under Search for an address or locate on map, type an address in the community and press the Enter key.

   The map updates to display a proximity of 5 miles around the address location.

6. Click a voting center from the search results.

   The Information tab displays center-specific information such as location details, operational hours, status, and drop box location.

7. Click the Directions tab.

   The tab displays turn-by-turn directions from the address to the voting center.

   The information in the pop-up varies by location, depending on the election details.

View wait time at a polling place

Communicating wait times to voters can reduce congestion at polling places and voting centers as well as help voters decide when to cast their ballot on Election Day.

You'll assume the role of a voter on Election Day. Previously, you've located your polling place using the Election Polling Places app. You're now interested in using the app to view the current wait time to decide when to cast your ballot.

1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization, and then browse to the Election Outreach solution.
2. View the Election Polling Places app.
3. In the Find My Polling Place widget, under Search for an address or locate on map, type an address in the community and press the Enter key.

   The Information tab updates to display details on the closest polling place to your address, including location, operational hours, and status. In addition, the tab reports the approximate wait time, which is also visualized on the map, where polling place symbols are color-coded according to reported wait times.

4. Click the Directions tab.

   The tab displays turn-by-turn directions from the address to nearest polling place.

5. On the map, zoom out and review additional polling places.

   Note:

   Depending on when you access the app, you will see an operational status of Open Now or Closed below the hours of operation.

View wait times at voting centers

After locating a voting center using the Voting Centers app, you are interested in using the app to view current wait times to decide when best to cast your ballot.

1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization, and then browse to the Election Outreach solution.
2. View the Voting Centers app.
3. In the Locate Voting Center widget, click and slide the buffer distance to 5 miles.
4. Under Search for an address or locate on map, type an address in the community and press the Enter key.

   The Locate Voting Center widget and the map update to display several voting centers within a 5 mile radius of your location.

   Voting centers symbols on the map are color-coded according to reported wait times.

5. Click a voting center from the search results.

   Note:

   Both the map and the pop-up display the current wait time as reported by the local election office. The map symbol is color-coded according to the wait time reported.

   In addition to the current wait time, the pop-up also displays election day information such as location details and operational hours and status.

   Note:

   Depending on when you access the app, you will see an operational status of Open or Closed to the right of today's hours of operation.

Volunteer as a poll worker

As an engaged voter in the community, you want to volunteer to help conduct transparent elections as a poll worker. You will fill out a survey to provide your contact information and qualifications so the election agency can connect with you about election volunteer opportunities.

1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization, and then browse to the Election Outreach solution.
2. View the Promoting Transparent Elections site.
3. Scroll to the Volunteer as a poll worker section and click the Volunteer button to open the Become a Poll Worker survey.
4. Complete the survey and click Submit.