"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. DiDonato's success underscores how the wide availability of redistricting data and mapping software has transformed mapmaking from something once reserved for supercomputers and backrooms to an activity that anyone can participate in. It's a transformation that has allowed for observers to immediately scrutinize maps for partisanship or signs of racial discrimination."
"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. 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."
A federal judge in Alabama ordered a new state senate map and selected a submission from an anonymous public user identified as DD. The selected map was created by 18-year-old Daniel DiDonato, a University of Alabama freshman who drafted it late at night in a dorm study room. Nearly 300,000 Alabamians will vote under the new district lines drawn by DiDonato. The episode illustrates how widely available redistricting data and mapping software have democratized mapmaking, allowing broader public participation and immediate scrutiny for partisanship and racial discrimination. An online community known as Election Twitter shares maps and forecasting expertise.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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