Election 25: Your Paycheck. Your Future. Your Vote.

October 30, 2025 – Virginia Governmental Employee Association (VGEA)

Your Paycheck. Your Future. Your Vote.

Election Day: Tuesday, November 4, 2025

A Real-Talk Guide to the Virginia Gubernatorial Election for State Employees & Retirees

For Virginia’s state employees and retirees, the people who keep the Commonwealth running, this gubernatorial election is not just a political contest. It’s an election that will directly shape your pay, your benefits, and your professional rights for years to come.

There’s no “us vs. them” or partisan noise here, just the facts on what’s at stake for your bottom line and your career. This is your call to action: Read this, think about what matters most to you, and go vote.

1. The Money Issue: Pay, Compression, and COLA

Let’s get real: Our VGEA 2025 Legislative Priorities Survey confirmed that state employees overwhelmingly want competitive pay, and retirees need reliable Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA).

The Question for the Next Governor: Will they view these gains as “job done,” or as a starting point?

• Pay Compression: This is where long-time, experienced employees end up making nearly the same as new hires. It’s a morale killer. The next administration’s Department of Human Resources Management (DHRM) has the power to prioritize a solution, but it takes political will and dedicated budget money. The winner will signal how urgently they treat your pay scale.
• Retiree COLA and Benefits: The stability of your VRS (Virginia Retirement System) funds is a priority. Retirees need a COLA that truly keeps up with inflation. The next Governor will work with the General Assembly to set the budget. A Governor who champions robust retiree benefits will fight for a better COLA and health credit.

Your Action Item: Look past the slogans. Which candidate has outlined a specific, funded plan to address ongoing pay compression and boost retiree COLA, not just in their first budget, but as a multi-year priority?

The Advocacy Issue: The Voice in the Workplace

Right now, Virginia state employees cannot legally unionize or strike. The VGEA is the primary advocacy organization fighting for your interests in Richmond, funded by member dues of $144 a year. We are the voice for pay, benefits, and working conditions.

The Question for the Next Governor: How far will the door open, or close, to employee collective action?

• Unionization: This is the most volatile issue. Lawmakers in Northern Virginia and beyond are pushing for state employees to have the right to unionize and collectively bargain.
  • The Pro-Union Stance: Advocates argue it gives employees a powerful, organized seat at the table to negotiate for higher pay and better conditions, moving past the current state advocacy model (like the VGEA).
  • The Anti-Union Stance: Detractors argue it increases costs, introduces bureaucracy, and could disrupt the current “right-to-work” climate, potentially favoring unions over individual choice.
• Impact on the VGEA: If collective bargaining is legalized at the state level, the entire employee advocacy landscape changes. VGEA’s role as the sole, unified voice would be challenged, even if it continues as a professional association. The Governor you elect will either champion, resist, or temper the momentum for unionization.

Your Action Item: Your rights as a public employee are defined by state law. If you want the potential power of a union, or if you prefer the current advocacy model, you must choose the leader who aligns with that vision.

3. The Future Issue: Your Job’s Security and Mission

Every Governor sets the tone for the entire Executive Branch. Your agency’s budget, its mission, and its priorities are all on the line.

• Public Service Value: One candidate may prioritize cuts and efficiency, viewing the state workforce as a cost center. Another may see it as an essential investment, prioritizing new hiring, retention, and training. Your elected leader determines the value placed on public service work.
• Workforce Development: Will your agency get the tech upgrades and training needed to keep pace with the modern world (especially in AI and digital transformation)? Or will it be starved of funds, leaving you to manage complex tasks with outdated tools and processes? A Governor’s vision for a modern, effective Virginia workforce is critical to your daily job satisfaction and long-term career path.

The Core Outcome: Action Over Complaint

You know that the only effective response to a changing world is proactive, meaningful action. Complaining about your salary or benefits does nothing. The VGEA membership is only a fraction of the total workforce. Imagine the influence if every state employee were actively engaged!

This election is your most direct, powerful tool. Do not miss the opportunity to shape the very foundation of your career and retirement.

Do not let others decide the value of your work.

• Find your polling place.
• Make your decision based on the facts that impact your life.
• Go vote.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4, 2025, and polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Questions? Visit elect.virginia.gov or contact the Virginia Governmental Employees Association at vgea.org/contact.

About the VGEA The Virginia Governmental Employees Association is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the rights and interests of Virginia’s state employees and retirees. Our mission is to ensure fair treatment, proper compensation, and a supportive working environment for all who serve the Commonwealth.

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