Mapping the Vote

“Mapping the Vote” is a project of the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, in coordination with the Arizona Capitol Times, that analyzed more than 2.3 million votes cast in Arizona’s 2012 General Election.

The project was the result of a unique partnership in which AZCIR and the Capitol Times collected, cleaned and analyzed voting data from key races in Arizona. Using statistical analysis to explain patterns, trends and possible correlations, we then merged this information with block-level Census data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Arizona Capitol Times journalists furthered the analysis with in-depth interviews with political party stakeholders and experts to report the results.

We paired how people voted at polling locations, with absentee and provisional ballots, at a precinct-level, with demographic breakdowns from the 2010 Census to better understand the election outcome.

To date, the series includes eight stories and is combined with interactive maps that allow readers to sift through the data on their own. The data explained interesting trends not only in how Arizona voted, but also some stand-out precincts among the more than 1,600 that span our state.

Here are the stories:

• Mapping the Vote Overview
• Colorado City shows bizarre voting trend
• Sales tax hike was squashed by enthusiastic opposition among GOP
• CD1 results reflect Kirkpatrick’s appeal
• Paton’s weakness among Romney voters
• Barber held seat by winning competitive precincts, making up ground in GOP areas
• Analysis reveals Sinema’s secrets to success in CD9
• Failed top-two primary measure had most support among independent voters
• Vote analysis shows why Flake-Carmona race was so close
• Art of the single shot: How less can mean more when voters get to choose two
• Analysis shows Lewis fell short in appealing to Hispanics