With the McCain-Palin team courting undecided female voters, including some who backed Senator Clinton in the Democratic primaries, Senator Obama’s aides said they were counting on not only Mrs. Clinton but also Democratic female governors to rebut Ms. Palin — and, by extension, Mr. McCain.

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, who grew up on a farm as one of 12 children, is part of a new vanguard of Democratic leaders west of the Rocky Mountains placing great store in the demographic changes that he thinks will help deliver Democrats the White House in November.

Many of the social measures on the ballots are being pushed by evangelical groups that hope to force Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, to pay closer attention to their agenda. The proposals that are likely to attract the most attention are same-sex marriage and abortion amendments, along with proposals to ban affirmative action.