Working with regions

Regions allow you to work within a subset of geographies for a given plan. Statistics, such as target values, are automatically recalculated based on the values of the regional plan.

Create a single plan for all regions

To begin working with regions or regional plans, you may need to create a single plan and subdivide the plan across the total regions needed. Regional plans are a subset of existing plans. You would first start by creating a plan or by opening an existing plan.

The steps in this workflow help you create a plan for all regions. First, you will need to determine a couple things:

• Figure out how many total districts are needed for the district plan.
• Figure out how many regions are needed.

1. Create a plan with the amount of regions needed.
2. Define custom variables to help you properly make region assignments.

   For example, let's say you need 9 total districts. The following custom variable multiplies the number of districts for the plan by the total for the region, then divides by the cumulative total for all regions. This value gives you the number of districts for the region: NDISTRICTS = 9*[TOTAL]/$TOTAL$

Use the custom variable value for NDISTRICTS to guide the region assignments. This number helps define the number of representatives or weighted value for a district.
3. Update the number of representatives (optional).
The number of representatives should match the value for NDISTRICTS.
4. Make District assignments so that for each region, the target deviation is near zero.
During the assignment process, you can leverage some of these tools to help:
• Use Themes and turn on the label for TOTAL.
• Once you have balanced one region, lock it.
5. Save the plan using one of the following methods:
   • Save - allows you to override the current plan name to store the current plan.
   • Save As - allows you to create a new plan name for the plan.

Creating a plan for one region

Once you have created a single plan for all regions, you can create a plan for each region.

1. If needed, open the single plan for all regions.
2. Use the Join Districts tool to create each region.
   1. Join the Unassigned district with all other regions, except region 1.
   2. Use the Swap Districts tool to make district 1 hold all the population.
   3. Change the number of districts to 1.
   4. Adjust all number of representatives to 1.
   5. Rename District 1 to the proper starting district number.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Click View Regional.
5. Use the Save As option to save the plan. Be sure to give the plan a unique name so that you know the plan represents region 1.

Merging multiple regions into one plan

You can merge regional plans together into a single district plan.

1. Open one of the regional plans.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Click Modify Districts.
4. In the Number column, update the district numbers in each regional plan that you want to merge together contains a unique number.

   Regional plans that contain the same district number will display an error when you try to add the regional plans together. The number column must be unique across each regional plan that you merge.

5. Click Add Regional.
6. Repeat as need until all regions are added to the plan.
7. Use the Save As option to save the plan. Be sure to give the plan a unique name so that you know the plan represents region 1.

Opening a regional plan

Once you have saved a regional plan, they are accessed like any other plan through the Open dialog box.

1. Launch the Open dialog box:
   • Click Open a plan.
   • On the File ribbon, click Open.
2. Navigate to the desired regional plan to open.
3. Double-click the regional plan to open.

   The regional plan opens to the regional view.

View regional plan

Regional plans are a subset of existing plans. You would first start by creating a plan or by opening an existing plan. The regional plan allows you to remove any unassigned geographies from the plan to create a plan based on a subset of geographies.

1. Start with an open plan:
   • Create a plan
   • Open an existing plan
2. Click the View ribbon.
3. Click View Regional.

   Any unassigned geographies are removed from the map, and the result is the regional plan. Target mean and target deviation values are automatically recalculated based on the values of the regional plan.

Close regional plan

Closing a regional plan allows you to display and access the unassigned geographies in the larger district plan.

1. Start with a regional plan that is opened.
2. On the View ribbon, click Close Regional.

   The regional plan is closed. The Unassigned geographies are visible on the map and the target mean and target deviation update to reflect the new values for the plan.