The Secretary of State on Friday issued the first pre-election voter registration report for the November general election, and it shows the status quo held steady over the summer in Ventura County and in the highly contested 26th Congressional District.

Both countywide and in the congressional district, the partisan breakdown remained virtually unchanged between the close of registration for the primary (May 21) and 60 days prior to the Nov. 6 general election (Sept. 7). In both cases, the advantage for Democrats slipped ever so slightly -- from a 1.63 percent advantage to a 1.59 percent edge countywide and from 4.47 percent to 4.45 percent in CD 26. Notably, in both instances Democrats and Republicans lost voters while there was about a 1,300-voter increase in the number of no party preference voters.

There was, however, a noteworthy development in the county's other closely divided district, the 27th Senate District. In that district, which includes eastern Ventura County and much of the western San Fernando Valley, a surge in registration in Los Angeles County resulted in nearly a full percentage-point increase in the Democratic edge. Democrats now make up 40.59 percent of registered voters, with Republicans at 34.28 percent. That reflects an increase in almost one point (from 5.33 percent to 6.31 percent) in the Democrats' advantage.