README.md

Data maps

For development:

$ yarn run dev

To deploy:

$ yarn run deploy

Setting up the Google Sheet

In order for this to work, you need to set up your Google Sheet in a particular way.

Settings

The first tab should be a settings tab. The following columns are required:

• Issue: This is a key that will be used to link content from the content tab, e.g. avr.
• Issue label: The longform version of the issue or data set, e.g. Automatic voter registration.
• Dataset: One of State, House, or NY State House
• Tab: The tab with the data on it.

These are optional columns that you can have for extra configuration:

• Title: The title that will be displayed at the top of the map. If empty, it will default to Support for [issue label].
• Legend label: Override the label on the legend.
• Min: A decimal between 0 and 1. If empty, it will be 0.
• Max: A decimal between 0 and 1. If empty, it will be 1.
• Scale: The type of scale to use. Options:
  • red: Linear scale from light red to dark red.
  • blue: Linear scale from light blue to dark blue.
  • red-to-blue: Divergent scale from red to blue. Must be an odd number; middle is automatically set to gray.
  • blue-to-red: Divergent scale from blue to red. Must be an odd number; middle is automatically set to gray.
  • red-inverted: Linear scale from dark red to light red.
  • blue-inverted: Linear scale from dark blue to light blue.
  • dynamic: If min is at or above .5, light blue to dark blue. If max is at or below .5, dark red to light red. Otherwise dark red to dark blue.
  • dynamic-inverted: If min is at or above .5, light blue to dark blue. If max is at or below .5, dark red to light red. Otherwise dark blue to dark red.
  • qualitative: Red, yellow and green. Used for evaluating quality of policies.
• Buckets: The number of buckets to divide the scale into. Defaults to 7. Options:
  • red and blue: A number between 3 and 8.
  • red-to-blue and blue-to-red: A number between 2 and 10.

Content

The second tab of the sheet contains the content below the map. This tab should have these columns:

• Issue: One of the keys from the settings Issue column.
• Content: Markdown text.

Data sheets

Every other sheet should correspond to a single dataset, where the number of the tab corresponds to the Tab value in the settings column.

These sheets have the following required columns:

• Code: This is what links data to a state or district. States use their FIPS code and districts use the state FIPS + district number. e.g. Arkansas 2nd district is 502 because Arkansas is 5 and district is 02.
• Label: This will be displayed. It can be a state abbreviation, full name, or whatever.

Every other column on the sheet will be treated as a filter. It should have a decimal between 0 and 1 to show the percentage support for the issue.

In order for a column label to show up as multiple words, use dashes: e.g. independent-voters.

The sheet can have an optional content column that will be displayed in the details pane. Markdown is supported.

Creating TopoJSON Files

Visit mapshaper to convert shapefiles or geojson to topojson. Try and compress further using toposimplify if possible.

Each TopoJSON files must have the following characteristics:

• The shapes which are to be mapped must be under in the features key under objects
• Each geometry needs to have an id property which will be joined to the code column in the spreadsheet.
• The top level config can be added added to to effect the projection, rotation, scale, and zoomScalar when the features are loaded.

{
  "type": "Topology",
  "arcs": [
    // TopoJSON Stuff
  ],
  "config" : {
    "projection": "geoTransverseMercator",
    "rotate": [76.583, -40],
    "scale": 3000,
    "zoomScaler": 500
  },
  "objects": {
    "features": {
      "type":"GeometryCollection",
      "geometries":[
        {
          "type": "Polygon",
          "id": "some-id" // must match the code column in the spreadsheet
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}