PyPoll with Python
- Navigate to folders on your computer using the command line.
- Read and extract data from CSV files.
- Determine the difference between Python data types, like integers, floating-point decimal numbers, and strings.
- Perform mathematical operations using data types.
- Declare variables using different data types.
- Create and use data structures like lists, tuples, and dictionaries.
- Create and use decision and repetition statements.
- Create and use Boolean and logical operators.
- Write data to an output file and print the file.
- Calculate the total number of votes cast.
- Get the complete list of county votes.
- Calculate the total number of votes by county.
- Calculate the percentage of representation by county.
- Determine the county with the largest voter turnout.
- Get a complete list of candidates who received votes.
- Calculate the total number of votes each candidate received.
- Calculate the percentage of votes each candidate von.
- Determine the winner of the election based on popular vote.
A Colorado Board of Elections employee assigned the following tasks to the analyst to complete the election audit of a recent local congressional elections. After the winners were determined, the representation of county votes was also calculated.
- Data Source : election_results.csv, election_analysis.txt, pypoll_challenge.py
- Software : Python 3.7.9, Visual Studio Code version 1.50.1
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Total Votes in the Colorado Board of Elections: 369,711
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Votes by County:
- Jefferson: 10.5% (38,855)
- Denver: 82.8% (306,055)
- Arapahoe: 6.7% (24,801)
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Largest County Turnout: Denver
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Votes by Candidate:
- Charles Casper Stockham: 23.0% (85,213)
- Diana DeGette: 73.8% (272,892)
- Raymon Anthony Doane: 3.1% (11,606)
- Declare the Winner of the Election:
- Winner: Diana DeGette
- Winning Vote Count: 272,892
- Winning Percentage: 73.8%
After reviewing the 369,711 total votes, Denver County had the highest voter turnout, and the winner of the election is Diana DeGette with 272,892 votes representing a supermajority of 73.8% of all votes, meeting the popular majority criteria of greater than or equal to 50.1%.
In this election, the winner had a supermajority, but the criteria was for a popular vote, greater than or equal to 50.1%. This script could be easily modified to run a check for a supermajority, greater than or equal to 66.7% of the votes as the election criteria. A second way to change the code, with the county data, weights could be assigned to the counties to represent the weights of the electoral college votes. With these 2 changes to the script, perhaps the election commission would consider a business proposal to make these two adjustments, and the script could calculate almost any election.
