Chris Kenny, PhD
@chriskenny.bsky.social
Postdoc, Princeton DDSS.
PhD '25 Government @harvard.edu.
Studies redistricting with #rstats.
https://christophertkenny.com/
PhD '25 Government @harvard.edu.
Studies redistricting with #rstats.
https://christophertkenny.com/
My 2025 #rstats wrapped in honor of CRAN reopening for 2026: christophertkenny.com/posts/2026-0...
Fun fact: I made 43 CRAN uploads in 2025 and 41 of them were successful!
Fun fact: I made 43 CRAN uploads in 2025 and 41 of them were successful!
Packages 2025 Wrapped – Christopher T. Kenny
A look at my R package updates from 2025
christophertkenny.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:02 PM
My 2025 #rstats wrapped in honor of CRAN reopening for 2026: christophertkenny.com/posts/2026-0...
Fun fact: I made 43 CRAN uploads in 2025 and 41 of them were successful!
Fun fact: I made 43 CRAN uploads in 2025 and 41 of them were successful!
Nothing like starting the day responding to a Brian Ripley hissy fit...
He removes an #rstats package before the scheduled date, gets a bounceback from a *downstream* package, and archives all of the packages...
CRAN volunteers time is the most valuable resource, yet Ripley just loves wasting it
He removes an #rstats package before the scheduled date, gets a bounceback from a *downstream* package, and archives all of the packages...
CRAN volunteers time is the most valuable resource, yet Ripley just loves wasting it
December 11, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Nothing like starting the day responding to a Brian Ripley hissy fit...
He removes an #rstats package before the scheduled date, gets a bounceback from a *downstream* package, and archives all of the packages...
CRAN volunteers time is the most valuable resource, yet Ripley just loves wasting it
He removes an #rstats package before the scheduled date, gets a bounceback from a *downstream* package, and archives all of the packages...
CRAN volunteers time is the most valuable resource, yet Ripley just loves wasting it
Glad we have LLMs in everything so that GitHub tries to create commit messages like this... Just makes more work by having to delete the message to write in a correct one instead of just writing the correct one in the first place
December 10, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Glad we have LLMs in everything so that GitHub tries to create commit messages like this... Just makes more work by having to delete the message to write in a correct one instead of just writing the correct one in the first place
Reposted by Chris Kenny, PhD
Is there an #rstats best practices for including a shiny app in an R package? I see mastering-shiny.org/scaling-pack... by @hadley.nz and github.com/daattali/ddpcr by Dean Attali (couldn't find his handle!) - just curious on understanding best practices, bunding data, app, and the www folder etc.
Chapter 20 Packages | Mastering Shiny
If you are creating a large or long-term Shiny app, I highly recommend that you organise your app in the same way as an R package. This means that you: Put all R code in the R/ directory. Write a...
mastering-shiny.org
December 10, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Is there an #rstats best practices for including a shiny app in an R package? I see mastering-shiny.org/scaling-pack... by @hadley.nz and github.com/daattali/ddpcr by Dean Attali (couldn't find his handle!) - just curious on understanding best practices, bunding data, app, and the www folder etc.
@corymccartan.com and I have been playing with @paleolimbot.bsky.social's #rstats `libgeos` package. It's pretty awesome.
Handles the hard parts so that you can connect Rcpp to GEOS with a few lines of code. Got some existing, optimized `geos` code to ~3x faster!
paleolimbot.github.io/libgeos/
Handles the hard parts so that you can connect Rcpp to GEOS with a few lines of code. Got some existing, optimized `geos` code to ~3x faster!
paleolimbot.github.io/libgeos/
Open Source Geometry Engine (GEOS) C API
Provides the Open Source Geometry Engine (GEOS) as a
C API that can be used to write high-performance C and C++
geometry operations using R as an interface. Headers are provided
to make linking ...
paleolimbot.github.io
November 18, 2025 at 11:01 PM
@corymccartan.com and I have been playing with @paleolimbot.bsky.social's #rstats `libgeos` package. It's pretty awesome.
Handles the hard parts so that you can connect Rcpp to GEOS with a few lines of code. Got some existing, optimized `geos` code to ~3x faster!
paleolimbot.github.io/libgeos/
Handles the hard parts so that you can connect Rcpp to GEOS with a few lines of code. Got some existing, optimized `geos` code to ~3x faster!
paleolimbot.github.io/libgeos/
NYC 2025 Mayoral results as a dot density plot using the `dots` #rstats package (cran.r-project.org/web/packages...)
November 7, 2025 at 2:04 PM
NYC 2025 Mayoral results as a dot density plot using the `dots` #rstats package (cran.r-project.org/web/packages...)
Reposted by Chris Kenny, PhD
Do you teach #rstats? Do your students complain about how lame and old-fashioned dplyr is? Don't worry: I have the solution for you: github.com/hadley/genzp....
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
GitHub - hadley/genzplyr: dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap
dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap. Contribute to hadley/genzplyr development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Do you teach #rstats? Do your students complain about how lame and old-fashioned dplyr is? Don't worry: I have the solution for you: github.com/hadley/genzp....
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
Support for Prop 50 in California is highly correlated with support for Harris in 2024 and even runs slightly ahead of her
A sad day for democracy to have the future of competitive elections literally on the ballot and yet be so utterly defeated.
Stands at 63.9% voting yes.
A sad day for democracy to have the future of competitive elections literally on the ballot and yet be so utterly defeated.
Stands at 63.9% voting yes.
November 6, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Support for Prop 50 in California is highly correlated with support for Harris in 2024 and even runs slightly ahead of her
A sad day for democracy to have the future of competitive elections literally on the ballot and yet be so utterly defeated.
Stands at 63.9% voting yes.
A sad day for democracy to have the future of competitive elections literally on the ballot and yet be so utterly defeated.
Stands at 63.9% voting yes.
Reposted by Chris Kenny, PhD
There are a lot of great posts out there that aren't very highly ranked.
Don't rely on bluesky to find you great content; you can find it on your own! Here's how:
#Rstats via @northeasternu.bsky.social's Storybench
www.storybench.org/how-to-analy...
Don't rely on bluesky to find you great content; you can find it on your own! Here's how:
#Rstats via @northeasternu.bsky.social's Storybench
www.storybench.org/how-to-analy...
How to Analyze bluesky Posts and Trends with R - Storybench
If all you're doing on bluesky is scrolling, liking and posting, then you're riding a bike with training wheels. Here are simple tools using its open-source skeleton.
www.storybench.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
There are a lot of great posts out there that aren't very highly ranked.
Don't rely on bluesky to find you great content; you can find it on your own! Here's how:
#Rstats via @northeasternu.bsky.social's Storybench
www.storybench.org/how-to-analy...
Don't rely on bluesky to find you great content; you can find it on your own! Here's how:
#Rstats via @northeasternu.bsky.social's Storybench
www.storybench.org/how-to-analy...
Reposted by Chris Kenny, PhD
NYC map shaded by vote margin!
We collected very granular precinct data and aggregated it to neighborhoods people actually recognize
Bushwick, Flushing, Upper West Side, etc.
datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Wrd72/
H/T @mitelectionlab.bsky.social @chriskenny.bsky.social @corymccartan.com @simko.bsky.social
We collected very granular precinct data and aggregated it to neighborhoods people actually recognize
Bushwick, Flushing, Upper West Side, etc.
datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Wrd72/
H/T @mitelectionlab.bsky.social @chriskenny.bsky.social @corymccartan.com @simko.bsky.social
2025 NYC Mayoral Race by Neighborhood
CBS News estimates of how different parts of the city voted
datawrapper.dwcdn.net
November 5, 2025 at 5:27 PM
NYC map shaded by vote margin!
We collected very granular precinct data and aggregated it to neighborhoods people actually recognize
Bushwick, Flushing, Upper West Side, etc.
datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Wrd72/
H/T @mitelectionlab.bsky.social @chriskenny.bsky.social @corymccartan.com @simko.bsky.social
We collected very granular precinct data and aggregated it to neighborhoods people actually recognize
Bushwick, Flushing, Upper West Side, etc.
datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Wrd72/
H/T @mitelectionlab.bsky.social @chriskenny.bsky.social @corymccartan.com @simko.bsky.social
For the on-air presenting and digital media, we also built a live neighborhood map: www.cbsnews.com/news/nyc-may... (now filled by margin!)
November 5, 2025 at 5:23 PM
For the on-air presenting and digital media, we also built a live neighborhood map: www.cbsnews.com/news/nyc-may... (now filled by margin!)
Reposted by Chris Kenny, PhD
Here at the CBS News data desk with @chriskenny.bsky.social and @simko.bsky.social! Looking at the VA numbers
November 5, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Here at the CBS News data desk with @chriskenny.bsky.social and @simko.bsky.social! Looking at the VA numbers
Finishing up prep for election night at CBS News' Data Desk!
Sunday in NYC was the highest single day early votes since at least 2019 and maybe ever:
Sunday in NYC was the highest single day early votes since at least 2019 and maybe ever:
November 4, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Finishing up prep for election night at CBS News' Data Desk!
Sunday in NYC was the highest single day early votes since at least 2019 and maybe ever:
Sunday in NYC was the highest single day early votes since at least 2019 and maybe ever:
Tracking the early vote in NYC. Turnout in Manhattan is particularly striking. Brooklyn is higher in raw numbers, but Manhattan is tracking closer to a presidential year than the odd years.
October 30, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Tracking the early vote in NYC. Turnout in Manhattan is particularly striking. Brooklyn is higher in raw numbers, but Manhattan is tracking closer to a presidential year than the odd years.
Reposted by Chris Kenny, PhD
As a member of the (now disbanded) National Academy of Sciences working group on differential privacy I can report some liberals want it gone, too, as its application tends to hurt disadvantaged communities
October 28, 2025 at 10:51 AM
As a member of the (now disbanded) National Academy of Sciences working group on differential privacy I can report some liberals want it gone, too, as its application tends to hurt disadvantaged communities
In my experience and conversations, most academics want it gone too.
The parameter values necessary to make the data usable make the theoretical guarantees functionally useless. Better off using an empirically effective approach, like swapping.
DP is a cute idea, but it’s a bad fit for the census
The parameter values necessary to make the data usable make the theoretical guarantees functionally useless. Better off using an empirically effective approach, like swapping.
DP is a cute idea, but it’s a bad fit for the census
A little-known algorithmic process called “differential privacy” helps keep census data anonymous. Conservatives want it gone.
The Republican Plan to Reform the Census Could Put Everyone’s Privacy at Risk
A little-known algorithmic process called “differential privacy” helps keep census data anonymous. Conservatives want it gone.
wrd.cm
October 28, 2025 at 7:30 PM
In my experience and conversations, most academics want it gone too.
The parameter values necessary to make the data usable make the theoretical guarantees functionally useless. Better off using an empirically effective approach, like swapping.
DP is a cute idea, but it’s a bad fit for the census
The parameter values necessary to make the data usable make the theoretical guarantees functionally useless. Better off using an empirically effective approach, like swapping.
DP is a cute idea, but it’s a bad fit for the census
#rstats bskyr is updated on CRAN with lots of fixes and new features. Major additions are detailed vignettes support for direct messaging.
Full list: christophertkenny.com/bskyr/news/
Full list: christophertkenny.com/bskyr/news/
October 26, 2025 at 4:49 PM
#rstats bskyr is updated on CRAN with lots of fixes and new features. Major additions are detailed vignettes support for direct messaging.
Full list: christophertkenny.com/bskyr/news/
Full list: christophertkenny.com/bskyr/news/
tinytiger ("Lightweight Interface to TIGER/Line Shapefiles") is now updated on CRAN to include support for 2025 census shape boundaries! #rstats
Package website: alarm-redist.org/tinytiger/
Package website: alarm-redist.org/tinytiger/
October 26, 2025 at 4:45 PM
tinytiger ("Lightweight Interface to TIGER/Line Shapefiles") is now updated on CRAN to include support for 2025 census shape boundaries! #rstats
Package website: alarm-redist.org/tinytiger/
Package website: alarm-redist.org/tinytiger/
On Monday, I taught an intro to #Quarto #quartopub workshop aimed at social scientists at Princeton. Slides and demos are publicly available here: github.com/christopherk...
GitHub - christopherkenny/quarto-workshop-fall2025
Contribute to christopherkenny/quarto-workshop-fall2025 development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
October 22, 2025 at 5:07 PM
On Monday, I taught an intro to #Quarto #quartopub workshop aimed at social scientists at Princeton. Slides and demos are publicly available here: github.com/christopherk...
As with past SCOTUS oral arguments on redistricting, here's a word cloud in the shape of the state (with stopwords and lawyer names removed):
October 15, 2025 at 11:44 PM
As with past SCOTUS oral arguments on redistricting, here's a word cloud in the shape of the state (with stopwords and lawyer names removed):
redistio now uses @kylewalker.bsky.social's mapgl for interactive redistricting map editing!
redistio is an #rstats package that uses Shiny to draw redistricting maps locally.
Unlike other district editors, this provides access to our simulation algorithms, interactively!
Short demo:
redistio is an #rstats package that uses Shiny to draw redistricting maps locally.
Unlike other district editors, this provides access to our simulation algorithms, interactively!
Short demo:
October 3, 2025 at 12:46 PM
redistio now uses @kylewalker.bsky.social's mapgl for interactive redistricting map editing!
redistio is an #rstats package that uses Shiny to draw redistricting maps locally.
Unlike other district editors, this provides access to our simulation algorithms, interactively!
Short demo:
redistio is an #rstats package that uses Shiny to draw redistricting maps locally.
Unlike other district editors, this provides access to our simulation algorithms, interactively!
Short demo:
#rstats packages tinytiger and baf may again be seeing intermittent issues (again), as the Census Bureau has placed this redirect on their FTP sites.
Empty list responses may also be possible, as the download is (sometimes) capturing the HTML page...
Empty list responses may also be possible, as the download is (sometimes) capturing the HTML page...
October 1, 2025 at 7:50 PM
#rstats packages tinytiger and baf may again be seeing intermittent issues (again), as the Census Bureau has placed this redirect on their FTP sites.
Empty list responses may also be possible, as the download is (sometimes) capturing the HTML page...
Empty list responses may also be possible, as the download is (sometimes) capturing the HTML page...
Presenting today!
October 1, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Presenting today!