In the vote which doesn’t affect the balance of power in the Houses of Congress, Massachusetts Democrat Deval Patrick was declared the winner in his state – becoming the first African American of the state and the second of any state.
In Ohio, Democratic Representative Ted Strickland easily defeated Republican Ken Blackwell.
New York, as expected, chose Democrat Eliot Spitzer, the attorney-general who crusaded for Wall Street and corporate reform.
None of those three states has elected a Democrat since the 1980s.
In Michigan, Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm, long targeted by Republicans, defeated millionaire opponent Dick DeVos.
Democrats were in sight of winning a majority of governorships for the first time since the Republican sweep of 1994, if they could pick up one more Republican seat and they hold their own in Wisconsin and Oregon.
Though governors never enact national policy, they can organise ground troops for a White House race.
In a bit of good news for Republicans, the Florida contest to replace term-limited Republican Governor Jeb Bush saw Republican Charlie Crist, the state attorney-general, leading Democratic
Representative Jim Davis, 55 per cent to 42 percent.
In Illinois, Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich won re-election in a contest that Republicans had at one time hoped would go their way.
Elsewhere, Republican Governors Jodi Rell in Connecticut and Dave Heineman in Nebraska won re-election, as did Democratic Governors Bill Richardson in New Mexico, Janet Napolitano in Arizona, Ed Rendell in Pennsylvania, Phil Bredesen in Tennessee, John Lynch in New Hampshire, Brad Henry of Oklahoma and Dave Freudenthal of Wyoming.
Also, early returns showed sitting Republican Governors Rick Perry of Texas, Sonny Perdue of Georgia and Jim Douglas of Vermont leading.
Although there is no formal link between governors and the federal government, both President George W Bush and former President Bill Clinton served as governors before seeking the White House.
Ten states had open seats because of retirements, term limits and primary defeat. Five other states were so competitive that incumbent governors were fighting hard to avoid being unseated.
The biggest names were in some of the least competitive races. Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California was safely ahead in pre-election surveys, while Democrat Eliot Spitzer - an attorney general famous for pushing for Wall Street and corporate reform - was far ahead in New York.
Republican Governor Rick Perry of Texas was a favourite to beat back a Democratic challenger and two independents, including musician and comic Kinky Friedman.
The Democrats were hoping to reverse the Republican majority among governorships that Republicans have held ever since the landslide of 1994.
Republicans went into Election Day holding 28 governorships to 22 for the Democrats.
Governors most at risk included Republicans Tim Pawlenty in Minnesota and Robert Ehrlich in Maryland. Also in close contests, though the latest surveys showed them slightly ahead, were Democrats Jim Doyle in Wisconsin, Jennifer Granholm in Michigan and Ted Kulongoski in Oregon.
In Alaska, Republican Sarah Palin unseated unpopular Governor Murkowski in the Republican primary and faced Democratic former Governor Tony Knowles.
In Idaho, Republican Representative CL "Butch" Otter was in a close contest with Democrat Jerry Brady, a former newspaper publisher.
The contests could break the record for women governors. Eight women governors now hold office, one fewer than the record. Four women were in the running as major-party candidates.
Though the parties pour in money to win a majority of gubernatorial races, governors cannot enact national policy.
Still, governors can strengthen a party's grass roots, turn out votes for presidential contests, and cultivate future national leaders. Their decisions shape policy on health care, taxes and other domestic issues, and often touch citizens more directly than Washington.