SALT LAKE CITY, July 21 (UPI) -- A national study released Wednesday identifies the 10 battleground states where this fall's elections may shift power in state legislative chambers.
More than 78 percent of the 7,382 seats in the nation's state legislatures are up for grabs this year, according to the report by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Tim Storey, a NCSL elections expert, said the question will be whether Democrats can reverse a trend that has seen seats drop away steadily for 30 years or will the GOP solidify its status as the majority party in legislatures.
New redistricting could turn the tide in a few states. Georgia's new lines give House Republicans renewed hope. Montana's reapportionment has given Democrats optimism that control of the House is within reach.
Current majorities hold just one-seat advantages in the Colorado Senate, the Indiana House and the Maine Senate. Control is currently shared in the North Carolina House and the Oregon Senate.
Just three seats separate the parties in the Oklahoma House. Pivotal races will also take place in the Vermont House, and in both chambers in Washington state.
