Earlier this month, after years of litigation, a federal judge in Alabama ordered a new state senate map. In a surprising decision, the map she chose wasn’t one drafted by a court-appointed special master and his expert cartographer, but rather one that had been submitted by an anonymous member of the public, known only by their initials, “DD”.
The decision stunned “DD” – an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Alabama named Daniel DiDonato – who learned his map had been selected as he was preparing to leave for his 9.30am introduction to political science class.
“I was absolutely surprised,” he said in an interview. “Now, nearly 300,000 Alabamians will be voting under new district lines that I drew up at two in the morning in a dorm, a cramped dorm study room.”
Kind of burying the lede, but really glad you posted this:
The widespread availability of political data tools has created an online community – Election Twitter – where political, data and mapmaking junkies will create and share maps and forecasts. DiDonato said he “definitely” considered himself a member.
“You have a whole bunch of these kids who are snippy and savvy and know about the Voting Rights Act, Section 2 of the VRA,” said Chaz Nuttycombe, 26, who developed an impressive record forecasting state legislative races while a student at Virginia Tech and has since founded State Navigate, a non-profit focused on state legislatures. “I’ve seen maps put together by special masters that I disagree with, and I’ve seen kids on Election Twitter put forward better maps for equivalent states and districts than those special masters.”
He used a free online software, Dave’s Redistricting App, to draw the lines. He had begun playing around with it about a year ago, amid a budding fascination with redistricting. As he drew the maps late into the night fueled by soda but no caffeine, he turned off racial and partisan data, seeking to ensure that the new districts he drew were equal in population and made as few changes as possible to the one Republicans had adopted.
made as few changes as possible to the one Republicans had adopted.
As I said in another comment, even small changes could have a huge impact. I would like to know how the racism was changed or stayed the same.
It sounds like they just turned off the population by race indicators. So, while it may have been drawn with respect to just population density, that still doesn’t mean that it’s not discriminatory.
This is ignorant at best and exactly what these racists were wanting at worst.
that still doesn’t mean that it’s not discriminatory
It doesn’t mean it is though either. I was hoping someone who knows more about this stuff could check.
That’s fucking rad as hell
While it would be better if his map had resulted in even stronger Black representation, he appears to have been the only one who followed the assignment, which was to remedy the original racism with the fewest changes to the districts. And he paid attention to proportions so that a voter in any district has an equal fraction of representation.
… one that had been submitted by an anonymous member of the public, known only by their initials, “DD”.
The decision stunned “DD” – an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Alabama named Daniel DiDonato …
“Anonymous”?
Should have said it was submitted anonymously.
Should be “formerly unknown”
Formerly known as anonymous?
The hacker ?
Great job DD!
A
teenageralgorithmHe had to choose what to start with and what numbers to use. He’s bad ass.
He did it at 2am and in his underpants, though, so the output is totally different than if he’d been wearing a three piece suit and compiling it during normal business hours.
So you’re saying everyone else who used the same tool got identical results to his plan?
I’d need to know more about the tool
Well you seem to think you know enough to state that it was definitely the tool and not the teen and that your interpretation would be the more descriptive and accurate headline.
it was definitely the tool and not the teen
Maybe some kind of combination?
So go look for the info. I mean you have the world at your fingertips right now.
I’ll see if I can peel off some free time later in the day.
