Complete guide for using the Draw My CA QGIS plugin to create redistricting plans in California.
Please refer to the 'QGIS Software and Plugin Installation' document for instructions on how to install the plugin. This guide describes how to create a new project, use the redistricting tool panel, and navigate the various other tools and features found within the Draw My CA plugin.
You can turn off the plugin at any time by opening Plugins → Manage and Install Plugins. There you can uncheck the box next to "swdbqgis" or you can uninstall the plugin entirely.
Once you have logged in, you can create a new project or select a previous project to work on through the Plan Management dropdown menu. This window should open automatically after logging in.
Select "New Project" from the project dropdown menu. Then title your project in the "Project Name" box, and check/uncheck the Counties on which you want to be added to your project. If you choose to make a project that includes many counties or the entire state, note that it may take a few minutes to open.
Once you have selected the counties you are working with for this given project, we do not recommend going back and changing these as it may cause errors in your project. If you would like to adjust the area you are working in, we recommend you make a new project with the appropriate counties.
In the case that you close the Plan Management window, you can regain access by clicking the plugin's dropdown, "Draw My CA", at the toolbar at the top of QGIS. Then, Plan Management again.
We suggest you make all new projects through these described steps (Plan Management → New Project) and not through the built-in QGIS method (Project → New Project).
The projects available in the dropdown menu will depend on if you selected an Offline or Connect session. Once you select the project that you want to work on, press open. While you are able to add/remove counties from the project which you are opening, we do not recommend you to do this as this may alter the project.
The Plan Layer Management menu is where you will create your different district(s) and plans for the county/counties you have chosen to work in. All users must create one layer to start and can choose to add more later, depending on if you would like to create districts in new plan types.
To create a layer, type a name into the "Layer Name" input box. Select a plan type from the Plan Type drop down menu: California State Senate, California State Assembly, Board of Equalization, or US House of Representatives.
If you would like to start with the current districts (created from the 2011 Redistricting process), you can choose this from the "Start with existing Layer" drop down menu. You can also start with a previous layer you created in this same drop down menu. If you would like to start fresh, do not alter the "start with existing Layer" drop down menu.
In the case that you cancel the Plan Layers window, you can regain access by clicking the "Draw My CA" plugin and Selecting Plan Layer Management again.
Users can also select layers they want to delete from the Plan Layer Management drop down menu in the 'Delete Layer' tab.
This section accounts for the majority of the guide, as it details how to use the plugin's redistricting tool. Creating a layer under Plan Layer Management will automatically open the Redistricting Panel in the bottom left corner of QGIS. Selecting "Redistricting" from the "Draw My CA" plugin opens the Redistricting Panel on its own.
Select which layer you would like to make edits on from the drop down menu.
Select which level of Census geography you would like to make edits using from the drop down menu. This can be changed at any time.
Select which action you would like to take in editing - "Add area," "remove area", or "New District."
Press this button and click anywhere on the map to choose which district you want to work in. The district will be shaded in on the map and highlighted on the list in the Redistricting panel. You must also select a district you would like to add or remove an area in, either from the list of districts in the Redistricting panel or through the "Select District" icon and clicking on the map.
Choose what method of selection you would like to use in your edits from the drop down menu.
Click and drag across an area on the map to select by rectangle, or simply single click to select one feature.
Create a polygon shape by single-clicking the corners. Right click when done drawing.
Single click to start, then draw a freehand shape. Right click when done.
Single click and move mouse to determine radius. Right click when done.
Choose the layer from the list, then single click on the map in the desired area.
This will deselect any area that is currently highlighted in all areas.
Once you have selected your desired area, it will be highlighted on the map. You can add the selected area to the district by clicking on the desired district in the Redistricting Panel and then clicking the green plus icon (equivalent keyboard shortcuts are "alt +" and "alt -").
You can move through the list of districts by using the up and down arrow icons in the redistricting panel, or through the arrow keys on your keyboard. The map will recenter to the district you have selected in the list and will shade the selected district on the map.
Once you are satisfied with the boundaries of one district, you can lock the district through clicking the orange closed lock icon on the Redistricting Panel. Locking a district will prevent any future edits to selections from the locked area.
The "show statistics" icon appears as a green spreadsheet and will close or open the statistics panel in the bottom right of the screen.
If you would like to change the title of the district or add comments about the district, you can do so by clicking the "Change District Attributes" icon that appears as a blue piece of paper with a yellow pencil in the right bottom corner.
The icon that appears as a red square with a white "X" inside is the Delete District button. If you would like to permanently remove a district, select the desired district in the list in the Redistricting panel and click this icon.
To undo or redo the most recent changes you made on the map, you can do so by clicking the green arrow icon pointing to the left (undo) and the green arrow icon pointing to the right (redo).
This panel displays the statistical information about the district in the layer which you are working. You can change what parameters are shown in the statistics panel through the drop down menu in the top left corner of the panel.
Users can create their own plan layers through modifying an existing layer or importing an equivalency file.
Users can check their redistricting plan using find discontiguous areas and unassigned areas.
This will locate areas within a district that are discontiguous from the rest of their district. You can use the triangle button icons to move up and down through the list of areas.
This will locate any areas that are currently unassigned to any district. You can use the triangle button icons to move up and down through the list of areas.
To activate the map imagery background, such as street images, buildings, and natural features, click "Imagery" in the Draw My CA dropdown menu.
Once you have completed your district plan, you can print the plan to a PDF to show others your work. There are four different built-in map printing options.
This will open up the User Connect window. You can change your session to Offline or Connect to the server. You can also change accounts through signing into a different account here.
You can export your plans to files on the local drive for the computer on which you are working. First, select which layer you would like to export from the Layer drop down menu.
There are different panels in the QGIS workspace. You can rearrange the panels by clicking and dragging them to a different location in the QGIS window or to a different area of your computer's screen as a pop up window.
You can turn on or off any of the layers through checking or unchecking the box in the list.
