Last week, I started a "Fun With GIS" series, using ArcExplorer Java Edition for Education (AEJEE), ESRI's free, downloadable, dual platform (Win/Mac), lightweight GIS tool. AEJEE's "HELP" menu contains a link to lessons and on-board data. Part of the "Fun" is being able to use material prepared by others. This week, we'll take a look at the U.S. Presidential Election.

Here is a zip file about the 2008 US presidential election. The file needs to be downloaded and uncompressed, and the folder placed where you can find it. The best place to put it is in the "ESRI/AEJEE/Data/lessons" folder. Then, begin AEJEE and open the project "election2008.axl" in the "ESRI/AEJEE/Data/lessons/election2008" folder.

The folder also contains two lesson documents as PDF files, plus an "export" PDF file. The lessons will walk you thru different explorations of the data. The "export.pdf" file can be used with Adobe Acrobat Reader and, if you use version 8.1 or higher, you can use the "layers" tool to explore the individual layers that make up the project.

The presidential election hinges on getting at least 270 electoral votes, in a "winner take all" arrangement in each state. Notice the variations in socioeconomic pattern, party strength, voter participation, flexibility over time, and relevant local elections. In which states would you advise the candidates to spend larger portions of their precious time and dollars? Make your predictions, and watch the battleground states!

- Charlie Fitzpatrick, ESRI Education Manager