split down 1896

Something is split down the middle when it has been divided and the two sides are of the same amount. The "split" emphasizes the act of dividing, while "down the middle" emphasizes that the two amounts have been divided evenly. In the case of counting votes to determine the winner in an election, it might not be possible to declare a single winner immediately if both sides have scored the same number of votes. "The election is split down the middle with no clear winner at the moment