Smith, who helped get the federal Geospatial Data Act passed, will serve in a newly created role at the National States Geographic Information Council.
A map shared by Shasta County, California, officials during a presentation on May 6, 2021, reveals the typical pencil-and-paper processes that once defined elections operations in the local government. (Shasta County, California)
County officials said a recent pilot project with the National States Geographic Information Council gave them a boost in confidence and staff support.
Geospatial officers and elections administrators will meet in Washington to exchange ideas on making the democratic process more geographically precise.
A new program attempts to bring structure to a widespread effort by states and municipalities to modernize their election systems using geospatial data.
The new group, founded at the National States Geographic Information Council’s midyear conference, will encourage more women to work in a technology field traditionally dominated by men.