HELENA — Montana voters gave the 2005 Legislature significantly higher marks than they did the previous two sessions, although the verdict was nearly divided, a Lee Newspapers poll taken last week found.

They were asked whether they would rate the performance of the session as excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor. The first two categories are combined to get a positive rating, while the last two make up the negative score.

When asked how they would rate the legislative session that ended in late April, 49 percent (3 percent "excellent" and 46 percent "pretty good") gave it positive marks, while 45 percent (36 percent "only fair" and 6 percent "poor") handed it negative grades, with 6 percent undecided.

Women were more pleased about the session than men were. Fifty-two percent of women had a positive assessment, while 37 percent had a negative one, while 53 percent of men had a negative view and 44 percent a positive one. The rest were undecided.

These questions were asked in a telephone poll of 625 likely voters taken May 23-25 for Lee by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc. of Washington, D.C. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The report card for the 2005 session was far better than what polls asking the identical question gleaned from Montana voters in 2003 and 2001.

In 2003, 70 percent of voters had a negative assessment of the Legislature, while 27 percent had a positive one, with 3 percent undecided. In 2001, 58 percent of voters had a negative evaluation of the Legislature, while 27 percent had a positive one, with 15 percent undecided.

In both 2001 and 2003, Republicans controlled both the House and Senate, and Republican Judy Martz was governor. Lawmakers came to town in 2003 facing a $232 million potential general fund deficit because of revenue shortfalls and cut budgets or reduced scheduled increases in spending.

In 2005, Democrats gained control of the Senate for the first time since 1993, while the House was tied 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat, is governor. In contrast, lawmakers this time initially faced a potential general budget surplus of nearly $300 million before allocating the money.

The poll also asked Montana voters which political party the, Democrats or Republicans, did the best job, in their opinion, representing their views on these seven issues:

- Funding K-12 schools: Democrats, 35 percent; Republicans 27 percent; and none or don't know, 38 percent.

- Holding the line on state spending and tax increases: Republicans, 40 percent; Democrats 27 percent; and none or don't know, 33 percent.

- Funding human services programs for the poor, disabled and elderly: Democrats 49 percent; Republicans, 21 percent; and none or don't know, 30 percent.

- Keeping the government out of your life: Republicans, 39 percent; Democrats, 20 percent; and none or don't know, 41 percent.

- Trying to improve the economy: Republicans, 35 percent; Democrats, 31 percent; none or don't know, 34 percent.

- Looking out for your family's interests: Democrats, 34 percent; Republicans, 33 percent; none or don't know, 33 percent.

- Protecting the environment: Democrats, 49 percent; Republicans 22 percent; and none or don't know, 29 percent.

Poll results, however, gave Republicans a slight advantage when looking ahead to the next legislative races. The poll asked this question: "If the 2006 election for your state representative were held today would you most likely vote for the Democratic candidate or the Republican candidate?"

Voters picked Republicans over Democrats by a 40 to 35 percent margin, with 25 percent undecided.

Mason-Dixon Polling & Research has asked this same question 15 times over the past decade in Lee Newspapers polls. More voters have said they would vote for a Republican than a Democrat for state representative in 13 of the polls. Those likely to vote Republican for their representative led by anywhere from three to 15 percentage points over the decade.

A Lee poll in May 2003 showed voters tied at 40 percent between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats were slightly ahead, 38 to 37 percent, in May 1997.