The numbers are comically small, rounding errors in tallies with far fewer consequences. The non-funny punchline? Races for the state legislature, where as few as a dozen votes could make the difference between which candidate wins, and, in some cases, which party controls a major lever of state government.
Because the margins are often so miniscule, a group of Democratic strategists are looking at quickly shelling out millions of dollars to track down likely Democrats and adding them to the voter rolls, no matter how inefficient or costly the chase may be.
It’s decidedly unsexy work and can be grueling, but Democrats have for decades been complacent—and, as a result, 54% of state legislators in this country are Republican, and 62% of the state legislative chambers are under Republican control.