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Precinct Map FAQ
Quick Summary:
This guide explains some common questions about how precincts appear on our maps, including:
- Why some precincts appear greyed out
- Why precincts don't always align perfectly with city boundaries
- Why some precincts might look unusual or disconnected
Why are some precincts greyed out?
Precincts appear greyed out when counties withhold detailed voting data to protect voter privacy.
- This typically happens in areas with very few voters
- It's especially common in rural areas or sparsely populated precincts
- The votes aren't missing - they're included in the total results
- This is a deliberate privacy measure to prevent identifying individual voters
Why don't precincts fit evenly within cities?
Counties draw precincts primarily for managing their own elections, which can create misalignment with jurisdiction boundaries:
- While precincts always fit perfectly within county lines, they don't always align with jurisdictional boundaries
- This is especially noticeable with smaller jurisdictions like city council districts
- Counties often consolidate precincts for elections, which can create additional mismatches
- When we aggregate this data elsewhere on the site, we use census data to adjust for any overlapping precincts
Why do some precincts look disconnected?
There are several reasons why precincts might appear visually unusual:
- Discontiguous Precincts:
- Counties sometimes draw precincts that are physically separated from each other
- This can result in portions of the same precinct appearing miles apart
- While uncommon, this is a legitimate practice that can create unusual patterns
- Data Issues:
- Geographic errors in the raw precinct data do occasionally occur
- These technical issues can create visual discrepancies in the map
- The underlying vote data remains accurate even if the visual representation looks imperfect