New Features In

GeoAuthor Version 3.2 And GeoElections Version 7.5

In 2016 Florida House Bill 541 became statute. While passage of HB 541 had an impact upon several areas of FL Statutes, perhaps the most profound component of the Bill defined “Address of legal residence” to include “all information necessary to differentiate one residence from another” as reflected in the “Definitions” from the FL Statutes below:

97.021 Definitions.—For the purposes of this code, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term:

(3) “Address of legal residence” means the legal residential address of the elector and includes all information necessary to differentiate one residence from another, including, but not limited to, a distinguishing apartment, suite, lot, room, or dormitory room number or other identifier.

The impact on Supervisors in FL to “maintain a list of valid residential addresses” is not affected regards single family residences. However, this becomes more complicated with multi-residential addresses; such as, for apartments, mobile home parks, condos, etc. regards including a secondary address line.

ICW has enhanced GeoPoints to both ease and standardize the task of building the database of “valid residential addresses” for all addressing options with a focus on multi-residential. In addition to the new features in GeoPoints, we have added MTFCC codes for the purpose of defining how addresses should be treated after importing the dictionary.

GeoAuthor®, now includes the MTFCC values for Linear Encoding listed on the next page. GeoPoints©, now includes the MTFCC values for Point Encoding listed on the next page. Conflation Layer provides an interface for mapping the fields contained in a point file created by an external agency to the data structure used within GeoPoints. Once the external table has been conflated, the resulting table can be used as a backdrop for building a GeoPoints table. It will also work with the Add Point function within GeoPoints. The new GeoPoints – [Unit Types] dialog

box allows the user to control the contents of the Unit Type pick list to conform to USPS standards and types used in your jurisdiction. The new GeoPoints – [Add Point] and GeoPoints – [Edit Point] dialog boxes provide the user with a Unit Type pick list to minimize data entry errors and standardize with consistent types. The Apartment field is separate and is defined as a string thus storing alpha/numeric values. With the new Update TLID function, one can add a TLID to the records in the GeoPoints table created using the Conflation Layer function. Going to points was never easier.

MTFCC Values Now Available For Use With

GeoElections and Voter Focus

GeoAuthor®, GeoPoints© and GeoElections®, support several MTFCC values introduced to assist users to more accurately describe how addresses should be treated after importing the dictionary. MTFCC values can be used in conjunction with both lines and points independent of one another or in concert. For example, a point can be used in a neighborhood of street ranges to account for a business location. Conversely, a point can identify an individual residence amongst a network of lines that have been encoded as commercial.

These MTFCC values will trigger actions to occur within Voter Focus such as secondary address line required for multi-residential facilities. Or in the case of residences addressed to a street with drive ways long enough to reach into jurisdictions not associated with the ranged street addresses, that household will be assigned the proper ballot for the jurisdictions and/or issues relevant to that location.

With the new version of GeoElections®, the first line of the dictionary will appear as “V75W DATE(MMDDYYYY): 03202017”, The “V75” denotes the version, the “W” denotes wholesale vs. “T” for transaction and the “Date” designates the format followed by the date the dictionary was created.

Using MTFCC values for points and lines along with tables of unique purpose, all listed below, one can manage numerous issues to “maintain a list of valid residential addresses” for importing to Voter Focus. Just add the MTFCC value to the default list for lines and points as illustrated below.

Linear Encoding:

Reserved MTFCC Values and their meanings:
S1120 – Business address ineligible for use as residential address.
S1220 – Business address ineligible for use as residential address.
S1420 – Business address ineligible for use as residential address.

S1130 – Mail address required to complete registration different than residential.
S1230 – Mail address required to complete registration different than residential.
S1430 – Mail address required to complete registration different than residential.

S1140 – Secondary Address Unit Designator* to complete registration (i.e. apt, unit, etc.).
S1240 – Secondary Address Unit Designator* to complete registration (i.e. apt, unit, etc.).
S1440 – Secondary Address Unit Designator* to complete registration (i.e. apt, unit, etc.).
*US Postal Publication 28

Point Encoding:
Reserved MTFCC Values and their meanings for GeoPoints in the Discrete table of GeoPoints:
K1130 – Mail address required to complete registration different than residential address.
K1230 – Mail address required to complete registration different than residential address.

Special Point Tables Specified In The Dictionary:
Polling – Inventory of polling places.
Business – Individual business address ineligible for use as residential address.
Discrete – Individual residential address for use in registration.
Multi-Unit – Secondary address required to complete registration (i.e. apt, unit, etc.).