Perpetual parity: just when it looked like state legislatures couldn't get any closer they did.

• Author: Storey, Tim

November's state legislative elections did little to change the political landscape that shows a divided electorate. Democrats and Republicans find themselves stuck as they try to squeeze through the door to control America's legislatures. The 2004 election gave each party hope, but ultimately they remain locked in political parity.

IT'S ALL KNOTTED UP

Before the election, America's two major political parties were in an historic gridlock for control of the states. Republicans held a majority of the 7,382 legislative seats by just over 60 seats. In terms of the overall control of states, Republicans had 21 compared to 17 controlled by the Democrats. Eleven states were divided with neither party claiming both chambers. (The Nebraska Legislature is not only unicameral, but also elected on a nonpartisan basis.)

But just when it looked like it could not get any closer, it did. With a handful of recounts still pending in key races that could swing control in a couple of chambers, Democrats appear to have regained the majority of all legislative seats, but by only about 10. That's about a 0.1 percent advantage. In terms of the big picture, the difference in overall state legislative control also shrunk. Republicans continue to hold more legislatures, but by only a one state margin--20 Republican, 19 Democratic and 10 split.

Parity is not unique to state legislatures. The president garnered just 3 percent more of the popular vote than did Senator John Kerry. Congress is close in both houses.

"America is divided, more divided than ever," said Bill Schneider, senior political commentator at CNN. "And the division persists, even though the Republicans had a good year. I would have imagined they'd have bigger breakthroughs in state legislatures."

Experts predict this division to be more than a passing fad. Here's a closer look at how the state legislative results of election 2004 shook out, why they did in such a fashion and what they say about this nation.

MODEST GAINS FOR DEMOCRATS

Roughly 80 percent of state legislative seats were up for election in 44 states this year. In just over 35 percent of those races, one party's nominee got a pass by not having opposition from the other major party. In the others, the competition was fierce. In 23 states, there were 28 chambers where a slight shift of only five House seats or three Senate seats would reverse the party in power.

Party control switched in 12 chambers which is the average in every two-year election cycle. A new party is in power in eight of the top 10 state legislative election battlegrounds that NCSL identified in July, as well as four more chambers that weren't considered that close.

On the whole, the Democrats can claim a small victory in 2004 on the legislative front. They picked up seven chambers, compared with the GOP's four. An additional chamber the Republicans controlled before the election is now tied.

Democrats won both Colorado chambers (for the first time in 40 years), the Montana Senate, the North Carolina House, the Oregon Senate, the Vermont House and the Washington Senate. They managed a tie in the Iowa Senate, which Republicans had by an eight-seat margin before Election Day.

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