It is all small change, relative to the record-shattering $6.2 million multimedia aerial war over Propositions 1, 2 and 3.

But some of the local legislative fundraising numbers are intriguing — and indicative of trench battles in local politics:

• Through Oct. 21, Democrat Betty Richardson has raised $96,646 in the open Senate race in West Boise’s legislative District 15.

• In that same period, District 15 GOP Senate candidate Fred Martin has raised $67,957 — an overwhelming sum in almost all legislative races, save this one.

• In South Boise’s legislative District 18, Republican incumbent Sen. Mitch Toryanski has raised $39,799 this year. But that’s on top of the war chest he had entering the election year — $41,956, which alone is normally enough to run a legislative race in a district of 43,586 constituents.

• Democrat Branden Durst, a former state representative, has raised $34,131 for his rematch with Toryanski.

• In another District 18 rematch, Democrat Janie Ward-Engelking seems to be leaving little to chance, as she looks to avenge her seven-vote 2010 loss to Rep. Julie Ellsworth. Ward-Engelking has raised $62,902 this year. Put another way, Ward-Engelking needs to find eight more votes, and has $7,862.75 per vote to do it.

• The numbers have Ellsworth grumbling. “Who’s attempting to buy this election and what business do they have in the lives of local District 18 residents?” Ellsworth wrote in an endorsement rebuttal published Friday. It’s not often that a 12-year lawmaker, and a one-time member of leadership, is lamenting a lack of funds. Through Oct. 21, Ellsworth has raised $21,315, still a decent sum for a legislative race.

The stakes are high, because this is a year of opportunity. For both parties.

As soon as Durst and Ward-Engelking filed, we knew these would be big-time rematches. Like Ward-Engelking, Durst lost narrowly, by only 103 votes — and he believes Toryanski is vulnerable because of his support of the Students Come First education laws and his vote for a bill requiring women to undergo an ultrasound before an abortion.

On top of all this, South and Southeast Boise has elected a mixed bag of conservative and moderate Republicans and Democrats. Now, both parties are eager to claim this district as their own.

And here’s why. This is the first round of legislative elections since redistricting — the once-a-decade redrawing of the map, based on new census numbers. Both parties have a chance to plant a flag in the new landscape.

Consequently, District 15 is also a battleground. West Boise has been Republican country, but it’s more favorable to Democrats than vivid red West Ada County. Democrats have made no secret of their desire to make inroads in 15.

This could be their once-in-a-decade opportunity.

GOP Sen. John Andreason and Rep. Max Black are retiring, setting up two open races.

Democrats recruited a pair of strong candidates for these open races. Richardson is a well-known former U.S. attorney and county party chairwoman. House hopeful Steve Berch is a hard-working campaigner who, before redistricting, made a committed but futile 2010 run in a heavily Republican suburban district.

Lastly, Richardson and Berch have succeeded in raising money. (Berch has collected $43,368 to Republican Mark Patterson’s $23,375.)

If the Democrats can’t win in District 15 this year, with two solid and well-funded candidates running in open races, it will be really difficult for the minority party to replicate this campaign effort down the road.

Legislative districts can be defined, and the tone can be set, by the first elections after redistricting. Think back to 2002, before Boise was seen as a Democratic island, a year before Dave Bieter was elected mayor. Elliot Werk gave Democrats a breakthrough on the Bench’s District 17, defeating incumbent Sen. Grant Ipsen. David Langhorst gave Democrats a second seat in District 16, Garden City and Northwest Boise, by knocking off GOP Rep. Hod Pomeroy.

A decade later, Districts 16 and 17 are seen as the Democrats’ to lose — although Republican Graham Paterson is running a well-funded race against Hy Kloc in District 16’s open House race, and Judy Peavey-Derr gives the GOP a well-known challenger to Werk.

Legislative elections tend to get short shrift, and this year, there are 6.2 million reasons why they are getting drowned out. But the results will be worth watching.

CHAT ABOUT ELECTIONS

Want to talk elections — before the big day, and while watching the results roll in?

Have I got a deal for you.

I’ll be hosting two online chats Monday and Tuesday at my blog. If you’re a BSU fan, you may have seen what my colleagues Brian Murphy and Chadd Cripe do with their weekly Bronco chats. Now it’s our turn to talk political football.

Come by from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday with your last-minute questions. We’ll open the Election Night chat at 9 p.m., after the Idaho polls close. And like any good party, we’ll keep it going until things show signs of winding down.

Kevin Richert: 377-6437, Twitter: @KevinRichert