The Pew Charitable Trusts

From Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) indulging in $12,000 drapes for his office to Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) enraging labor supporters with his first veto, some of this year's freshmen governors have gotten off to a wobbly start.

Homegrown electricity could be one ingredient used to combat the 21st century's expected energy crunch, easing the load on electrical grids with a system called "net metering," now legal in 34 states. Participants harvest wind and solar energy to fuel their homes and businesses and then sell any surplus back to utilities.

Now that a majority of states have boosted wages above the federal minimum, lawmakers in at least seven states want to guarantee workers paid sick days. Buoyed by overwhelming approval of a San Francisco ballot initiative that would allow workers at least nine sick days per year, lawmakers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Vermont, Maine, Montana, Michigan and Maryland are expected to propose similar measures.

Democrats kept their hold on governors' seats in Virginia and New Jersey, while California voters gave the cold shoulder to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's prized reform package. The outcome of the nation's only two gubernatorial races in 2005 preserves Democrats' 22 governorships, compared to 28 held by Republicans. See Stateline.org's quick guide to election results in the nine states with statewide elections, with sources to click for additional information.