User:Nilfanion/Elections

I have uploaded a series of blank maps for the United Kingdom to assist with election articles. The next major elections in the UK will be held on May 5, 2011. This page is to provide links to the files, and instructions to help with the creation of election maps.

Maps for the English local elections (United Kingdom local elections, 2011) are all available.

Instructions

The following are step by step instructions to producing maps like the one to the right. All that is required to make these is a text editor.

Download the relevant blank map from Commons. In general, these are at [[File:<district name> UK ward map 2010 (blank).svg]], you can also find them via this List. Note: You need the SVG, not the PNG thumbnail.
Open the SVG file in your text editor.
The path for each ward is marked with id="<ward name>"
Change the style for each path, replacing fill:#fefee9 with the appropriate parameter. This will depend on the representation of the ward, see more detailed instructions and table of colours below.
Upload the map to Commons (using derivativeFX is recommended}. Suggested file name is [[:File:<district name> UK local election 2011 map.svg]]

Single party wards

If the ward has a single councillor, or has all its councillors from one party then replace fill:#fefee9 with the appropriate colour for that party (see the table below).

For example, after the Bristol 2010 election Clifton was solely represented by the Conservatives. The path for this includes: id="Clifton" style="fill:#ffd700;fill-rule:evenodd....

2 seat wards, with 2 parties

This is a more complex situation and requires 2 steps. The following example is for Bristol in 2010, adapt it to your needs. Avonmouth elected 2 councillors, one Conservative, one Labour.

Add the following text to the <defs> (at the start of the SVG).

<pattern
  patternTransform="matrix(1.6,1,-1,1,0,0)"
  id="ConLab"
  height="14"
  width="200"
  patternUnits="userSpaceOnUse">
  <rect
    style="fill:#dc241f"
    id="CL-1"
    width="200"
    height="7"
    x="0"
    y="0" />
  <rect
    style="fill:#0087dc"
    id="CL-2"
    width="200"
    height="7"
    x="0"
    y="7" />
</pattern>

Change the fill for the ward to use this definition. In the case of Avonmouth this is done by:

id="Avonmouth" style="fill:url(#ConLab);fill-rule:evenodd....

Repeat the process for each of the wards with 2 different parties. You only need to add one definition for each combination, but you must alter each ward's path.

3 seat wards, with 2 parties

This is similar to the 2 seat, 2 party situation. However, a slightly different definition is needed. The following is for 2 Conservative and 1 Labour councillors.

 <pattern
   patternUnits="userSpaceOnUse"
   width="200"
   height="21"
   id="ConConLab"
   patternTransform="matrix(1.6,1,-1,1,0,0)">
   <rect
     y="0"
     x="0"
     height="7"
     width="200"
     id="CCL-1"
     style="fill:#dc241f" />
   <rect
     y="7"
     x="0"
     height="14"
     width="200"
     id="CCL-2"
     style="fill:#0087dc" />
  </pattern>

3 seat wards, with 3 parties

This is similar to the 2 seat, 2 party situation. However, a slightly different definition is needed. The following is for 1 Conservative, 1 Labour and 1 Liberal Democrat councillors.

 <pattern
   patternUnits="userSpaceOnUse"
   width="200"
   height="21"
   id="ConLabLib"
   patternTransform="matrix(1.6,1,-1,1,0,0)">
   <rect
     y="0"
     x="0"
     height="7"
     width="200"
     id="CLL-1"
     style="fill:#dc241f" />
   <rect
     y="7"
     x="0"
     height="7"
     width="200"
     id="CLL-2"
     style="fill:#0087dc" />
   <rect
     y="14"
     x="0"
     height="7"
     width="200"
     id="CLL-3"
     style="fill:#fdbb30" />
  </pattern>

4+ seat wards

A similar approach is needed to the previous multi-party cases. Adapting the above definitions or those used in File:Ward test map.svg will produce the required definition.

Table of colours

The colours are from the templates at Category:United Kingdom political party colour templates

Conservative - #0087dc

Labour - #dc241f

Liberal Democrat - #fdbb30

Independent - #dddddd

Green - yellowgreen

Blank maps

Local elections

Full list is at: User:Nilfanion/Elections/List