Big Data is the next evolution of predictive analysis for achieving a result. Complex and voluminous data sets have been credited with recent election successes. The idea being that if you build a dataset of voter histories and voter profiles you can apply predictive analysis to determine the likelihood of how a voter may vote in the next election. The Donald Trump campaign used Cambridge Analytica, which special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating for possible voter irregularities. The Democratic Party has been using NGP-VAN for years for voter outreach.

In El Paso, the major political candidates rely on NGP-VAN for voter rolls, walking lists and get out the vote initiatives. The El Paso County Elections Department offers voter data sets to anyone for $10 a disk. Many political candidates rely on these CDs for their voter lists. However, they offer limited analysis and using Excel spreadsheets leads too many errors. NGP-Van is cost prohibited too many candidates. It is also a Democratic Party centric system which allows party politics to limit access to some candidates, for example, Bernie Sanders during the last election.

Nonetheless, the future of politics is data-driven voter outreach.

Eddie Holguin recognized this a few years back and started compiling data sets to provide campaign management services. Making the data accessible and easy to use is Holguin’s goal.

Today, Eddie Holguin launched El Paso Votes, a data-centric app providing a full suite of El Paso County data metrics for candidates, news media reporters and researchers researching election trends. The voter platform contains voter records going as far back as 1999 and other data metrics for each county voter.

With the addition of custom algorithms using the data set, users can target specific voters based on voting histories and specific demographics as selected by the user. As a live online system, the base data set is a living set constantly updated as the platform is used, ensuring the data set is always current and verified.

Eddie Holguin believes in equal access to everyone in the election process and thus is committed to providing El Paso voters access to the tools the well-funded politicians. Holguin wants to level the playing field. All El Paso voters will have access to the APP for free.

Currently, the premiere El Paso race is the contest for the 16th Congressional District seat being vacated by Beto O’Rourke. There are six candidates vying for the position. The top three, Dori Fenenbock, Veronica Escobar and Norma Chavez (in ballot order) are using voter datasets for voter engagement. All three are likely using NGP Van. Holguin is hoping to showcase the capability of his platform through Carl Robinson’s County Commissioners race. Holguin is also offering access to other candidates free of charge during the soft launch of his platform.

If you are an El Paso voter, check out your voter profile by visiting the site at: elpasovotes.com