Democrats have been in the majority in both the N.C. House and Senate for the past century, with the exception of a four-year stint of Republican control in the House during the 1990s.
Democrats have a strong-hold in the Senate with a 35-15 majority but have only a tenuous grip on the House with a 62-58 advantage.
Recent legislative redistricting -- which is widely held to favor Republicans -- might have loosened even Democrats' firm grip on the Senate and has thrown the House up for grabs.
Jonathan Jordan, communications director for the N.C. Republican Party, said he thinks it is likely Republicans will wrest control from the Democrats in the upcoming election.
"(Republicans) have a good chance of capturing the Senate and recapturing the House," he said.
Jordan said the turnover has been made more likely by the redistricting done during this past session.
Though the Democrats -- as the majority party -- originally controlled the redistricting process, they ultimately were not permitted to draw the state's districts.
The lines they penned were found unconstitutional under N.C. law, and Republican-leaning Judge Knox Jenkins drew districts to be used only for the Nov. 5 elections.
Districts will be given their final form during the 2003 session or during a special session after Nov. 5, by which time legislators will have been elected.
