Virginia gubernatorial election, 2025

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2021
Governor of Virginia
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: April 3, 2025
Primary: June 17, 2025 (canceled)
General: November 4, 2025

Pre-election incumbent(s):
Glenn Youngkin (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Virginia
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Likely Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic
Inside Elections: Lean Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2025
Impact of term limits in 2025
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2025
Virginia
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General

Ballotpedia reports: VA gubernatorial election, 2025

Abigail Spanberger (D) and Winsome Earle-Sears (R) are running in the general election for Governor of Virginia on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Glenn Youngkin (R) is term-limited.

As one of only two gubernatorial elections-- the other being in New Jersey-- that take place in the odd year following a presidential election, media outlets and political observers have historically paid close attention to Virginia's gubernatorial race. According to USA Today's Savannah Kuchar, "The Commonwealth is heralded as a national bellwether, like clockwork every four years. Held in the odd year after the presidential election since 1869, Virginia’s gubernatorial race is a cyclical scorecard for voters’ moods and the issues at the forefront of the national consciousness."[1][2][3]

In Ballotpedia's May 13, 2025 episode of On the Ballot, The Virginia Scope’s Brandon Jarvis listed education, the state's right-to-work law, and the Trump administration as key issues that the candidates are campaigning on. Click here to listen.

Abigail Spanberger (D) represented the 7th Congressional District from 2019 to 2025. Before serving in Congress, she was a CIA case agent. Spanberger is running on her record in Congress, saying she has "a really clear background and evidence of my ability to build coalitions across party lines...I have a very clear history of bringing people together to...deliver results."[4] Spanberger says she is "focus[ed] on strengthening our public education system, lowering costs for families and keeping our communities safe."[5]

Winsome Earle-Sears (R) is the incumbent lieutenant governor of Virginia. She was elected in 2021 and is running on her record. Her campaign website says, "As Lieutenant Governor, she led reforms across 13 medical boards, championed legislative change, and fought to increase educational freedom, scoring major victories for charter schools."[6] Earle-Sears is also campaigning to continue Youngkin's tax policies, saying, "We’re talking about billions of dollars that we returned to you, the Virginians...We’re going to continue that because that’s part of the reason why our economy flourished."[7]

This election is the first time in state history that the Democratic and Republican nominees for governor are both women. Virginia has never elected a woman to the governor's office.[8]

In 2017, Ralph Northam (D) defeated Ed Gillespie (R) and Cliff Hyra (L) 53.9%-45%-1.2% while Donald Trump (R) was president. In 2021, Glenn Youngkin (R) defeated Terry McAuliffe (D) and Princess Blanding (L) 50.6%-48.6%-0.7% while Joe Biden (D) was president.

Neither Spanberger nor Earle-Sears faced a primary. The Democratic and Republican primaries were scheduled for June 17 but were cancelled after only two candidates filed to run for governor. The filing deadline was April 3, 2025.

In addition to the race for governor, Virginia is also holding elections for lieutenant governor, attorney general, and House of Delegates in 2025.

This race, along with the elections for Virginia's House of Delegates, will determine the state's trifecta status. Virginia has had a divided government, where neither party holds a trifecta, since 2022. Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly and Youngkin is a Republican.

The gubernatorial election and the attorney general election will also help determine the state's triplex status. Currently Virginia has a Republican triplex, where Republicans hold the offices of the governor, attorney general, and secretary of the commonwealth. In Virginia, the governor appoints the secretary of the commonwealth.

Click here to learn more about Virginia 2025 elections and here to learn more about gubernatorial elections in 2025.

On this page, you will find

For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:


Recent updates

This section includes a timeline of events leading up to the election.

  • September 26, 2025

    co/efficient released a poll of 1,024 likely voters, showing Spanberger winning 49% of the vote to Earle-Sears' 43%. The margin of error was ± 3.05.[9]

  • September 18, 2025

    Christopher Newport University released a poll of 808 likely voters, showing Spanberger winning with 52% of the vote to Earle-Sears' 40%.[10]

  • September 11, 2025

    Cook Political Report changed their race rating from Lean Democratic to Likely Democratic.[11]

  • September 4, 2025

    Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball changed their race rating from Lean Democratic to Likely Democratic.[12]

  • August 26, 2025

    co/efficient released a poll of 1,025 likely voters, showing Spanberger winning 48% of the vote to Earle-Sears' 43%. The margin of error was ± 3.1.[13]

View all

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Governor of Virginia

Abigail Spanberger, Winsome Earle-Sears, and Donna Charles are running in the general election for Governor of Virginia on November 4, 2025.

Candidate
Image of Abigail Spanberger
Abigail Spanberger (D)
Image of Winsome Earle-Sears
Winsome Earle-Sears (R)
Image of Donna Charles
Donna Charles (Independent) (Write-in) Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Abigail Spanberger advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Winsome Earle-Sears advanced from the Republican primary for Governor of Virginia.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Voting information

See also: Voting in Virginia
On the Ballot takes a look at Virginia's 2025 elections.

Election information in Virginia: Nov. 4, 2025, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: Nov. 4, 2025
  • By mail: Postmarked by Oct. 24, 2025
  • Online: Oct. 24, 2025

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: Oct. 24, 2025
  • By mail: Received by Oct. 24, 2025
  • Online: Oct. 24, 2025

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: Nov. 4, 2025
  • By mail: Postmarked by Nov. 4, 2025

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Sep. 19, 2025 to Nov. 1, 2025

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (EST)

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Image of Abigail Spanberger

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Spanberger earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia in 2001 and an MBA from a dual-degree program between Purdue University and the GISMA business school in Germany in 2002. Spanberger worked as a case officer for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2006 to 2014. Her other career experience included working as a teacher, U.S. Postal Service postal inspector, and consultant.



Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.


Spanberger said she would focus on lowering costs: "The number-one priority I hear across Virginia is the need to make everyday life more affordable and bring down high costs. That's why I've been laying out plans to make energy, healthcare, and housing more affordable for Virginians."


On public safety, Spanbeger's campaign website said she would support policies to "provide treatment, recovery, and wraparound services to everyone impacted by substance use disorders" and "strengthen Virginia’s safe storage laws and keep firearms out of the hands of kids or those who pose a threat to themselves or others."


On education, Spanberger's campaign website said, "As Virginia’s next Governor, Abigail will work aggressively to get schools the funding they need, address Virginia’s teacher shortage, and provide teachers with training and support. She will oppose efforts that seek to erode faith in our public schools or take public dollars out of public schools."


Show sources

Image of Winsome Earle-Sears

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Earle-Sears earned a bachelor's degree from Old Dominion University in 1992 and a master's degree in organizational leadership from Regent University in 2003. She served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1983 to 1986. Her other career experience includes working as an electrician and managing a business.



Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.


Earle-Sears' campaign website said she would focus on reducing the cost of living and "fight for common-sense tax cuts that help all Virginians like eliminating the unfair car tax", "scour the government books to cut wasteful government spending and job-killing regulations."


On public safety, Earle-Sears' campaign website said she would "end radical policies like catch-and-release and ensure violent criminal illegal immigrants are arrested, detained, and sent back to where they came from" and that she "opposes sanctuary cities and will work alongside the Trump administration to remove those who break our laws and threaten public safety."


On education, Earle-Sears' campaign website said she would "empower parents to choose the best school for their children so every child gets a quality education. She will prioritize parents’ rights and basic reading and math skills over ideological grandstanding."


Show sources

Image of Donna Charles

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Independent

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography "Donna Charles is a veteran and career civil servant who is passionate about public service and has a strong independent streak, like most of her fellow Virginians. She believes independent leadership in Richmond can break the cycle of hyper-partisan politics that often derails life-changing legislation surrounding affordable housing, healthcare, and education in Virginia."


Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.


Donna Charles understands that without public safety, communities fall victim to flight and blight. Law, order, and public safety underpin all thriving and productive communities. Donna will work with both sides of the aisle and law enforcement professionals from across the Commonwealth to address Virginians' growing concerns about public safety. Her unique and broad background in national security gives her a sharper perspective on how to responsibly and effectively employ emerging technologies that can help combat all forms of crime and threats to Virginia's critical infrastructure.


Donna Charles is keenly sensitive to the pressure Virginians are feeling from economic and political uncertainty emanating from Washington. Donna will work tirelessly to prioritize raising the minimum wage, protect the Commonwealth's social safety net, and expanding access to healthcare, all critical for strengthening families and reduce pressure on valued working class.


Donna Charles' approach to bipartisan governance is taking the "both and" approach. That means working to protect our public schools while ensuring parents can select schools for their children that best reflect their beliefs, values, and aspirations. As a first-generation American, Donna has benefited from parents who came to this country with little and sacrificed everything to send her to the best schools they could afford. She believes that no one should be deprived of the best education available, especially because of their zip code.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaCharles.jpeg

Donna Charles (Independent)

Donna Charles understands that without public safety, communities fall victim to flight and blight. Law, order, and public safety underpin all thriving and productive communities. Donna will work with both sides of the aisle and law enforcement professionals from across the Commonwealth to address Virginians' growing concerns about public safety. Her unique and broad background in national security gives her a sharper perspective on how to responsibly and effectively employ emerging technologies that can help combat all forms of crime and threats to Virginia's critical infrastructure.

Donna Charles is keenly sensitive to the pressure Virginians are feeling from economic and political uncertainty emanating from Washington. Donna will work tirelessly to prioritize raising the minimum wage, protect the Commonwealth's social safety net, and expanding access to healthcare, all critical for strengthening families and reduce pressure on valued working class.

Donna Charles' approach to bipartisan governance is taking the "both and" approach. That means working to protect our public schools while ensuring parents can select schools for their children that best reflect their beliefs, values, and aspirations. As a first-generation American, Donna has benefited from parents who came to this country with little and sacrificed everything to send her to the best schools they could afford. She believes that no one should be deprived of the best education available, especially because of their zip code.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaCharles.jpeg

Donna Charles (Independent)

Donna Charles is passionate about public safety, education, critical infrastructure protection, and effective delivery of essential services. She sees the role of governor and chief executive as one who ensures that Virginians have a champion on their side in the best of times and a steady, decisive hand in the worst of times. Donna's strong sense of patriotism and gratitude for all that the United States has provided her will be reflected through the policies she implements to the benefit of all Virginians.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaCharles.jpeg

Donna Charles (Independent)

My mother is the quintessential exemplar of tenacity, grit, and fearlessness. She instilled those qualities in me at a very early age, and I am eternally grateful to her for all that she has done to protect, guide, and provide for me.


You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:


Campaign ads

This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.

Democratic Party Abigail Spanberger


View more ads here:


Republican Party Winsome Earle-Sears


View more ads here:


Debates and forums

If you are aware of any debates, candidate forums, or other similar events where multiple candidates in this race participated, please email us.

Election competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[15] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[16] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.

Below we provide results for polls from a wide variety of sources, including media outlets, social media, campaigns, and aggregation websites, when available. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval.


Virginia gubernatorial election, 2025: General election polls
PollDatesEarle-Sears (R)Spanberger (D)Charles (Write-in)OtherUndecidedSample sizeMargin of errorSponsor
43491--7
1,025 LV
± 3.0%
N/A
4052----8
808 LV
± 3.9%
N/A
43483--7
1025 LV
± 3.1%
N/A
3946--114
602 LV
± 4.4%
N/A
3749--312
764 RV
± 4.2%
N/A
2643--328
609 RV
± 5.3%
N/A
4852------
1,000 LV
± 3.1%
Virginia FREE
4046----14
600 LV
± 4.0%
N/A
3944--116
806 RV
± 3.6%
N/A
4142--413
1,000 RV
± 3.0%
N/A
4447----9
625 RV
± 4.0%
N/A
Note: LV is likely voters, RV is registered voters, and EV is eligible voters.


Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[17]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[18][19][20]

Race ratings: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2025
Race trackerRace ratings
9/30/20259/23/20259/16/20259/9/2025
The Cook Political Report with Amy WalterLikely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLean Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLikely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Noteworthy endorsements

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.


Noteworthy endorsements
Endorser Democratic Party Abigail Spanberger Republican Party Winsome Earle-Sears
Government officials
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D)  source  
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D)  source  
U.S. Rep. Donald Sternoff Beyer Jr. (D)  source  
U.S. Rep. Jennifer Kiggans (R)  source  
U.S. Rep. Cory Mills (R)  source  
U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D)  source  
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R)  source  
U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman (D)  source  
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R)  source  
Individuals
Frmr. Gov. Ralph Northam  source  
Organizations
Virginia Beach Police Benevolent Association  source  
Virginia Education Association  source  
Virginia Police Benevolent Association  source  

Election spending

Campaign finance

The section and tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[21][22][23]

If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.

By election

Spending news

  • On September 16, Politico reported that the Republican Governors Association is spending $1 million on TV ads in the D.C. television market, $1 million on digital ads, and a total of $2.7 million on TV ads statewide.[25]
  • On September 16, the Washington Post also reported that incumbent Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) donated $100,000 to Earle-Sears’ campaign.[24]
  • On August 29, Politico reported that Black Entertainment Television co-founder Robert Johnson donated $500,000 to the Earle-Sears campaign. Johnson’s donation came after a protester held up a sign that he called a “racist diatribe” when Earle-Sears spoke at an Arlington school board meeting. Johnson previously supported Democrats, including former Gov. Terry McAuliffe and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.[26]
  • Other large donations for Spanberger include a $500,000 donation from VoteVets, an organization that says it supports “veteran candidates who will fight for progressive values,” and another $500,000 donation from Sports Betting Alliance, which says it believes “customers in all 50 states should enjoy the benefits of transparent and legal sports betting and online casino gaming.” According to the Virginia Public Access Project, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman also donated $390,000 to Spanberger’s campaign.[27][28][29]

Election context

Ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Virginia in the 2025 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Virginia, click here.

Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2025
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Virginia Governor Recognized party 10,000[30] Fixed number $3,500 2% of annual salary 4/3/2025 Source
Virginia Governor Non-primary party N/A N/A N/A N/A 6/17/2025 Source
Virginia Governor Independent 10,000[31] Fixed number N/A N/A 6/17/2025 Source

Election history

Margin of victory in past contests

The following chart shows the margin of victory for candidates elected as the governor of Virginia in elections going back to 1997.

Five of the last seven gubernatorial contests were decided with a margin of victory of less than 10 points. The average margin of victory for Republican candidates is 10.9%, and the average for Democratic candidates is 5.6%.

Past primary contests

The following chart shows the results of the seven most recent Democratic gubernatorial primaries in Virginia.

In four Virginia Democratic primaries, a candidate ran for the nomination unopposed. The most competitive primary was in 2017 when Ralph Northam (D) defeated Tom Perriello (D) by a margin of 55.9% to 44.1%.

The following chart shows the results of the seven most recent Republican gubernatorial primaries in Virginia.

In four Virginia Republican primaries, a candidate ran for the nomination unopposed. The most competitive primary was in 2017 when Ed Gillespie (R) defeated Corey Stewart (R) and Frank Wagner by a margin of 43.7% with Stewart receiving 42.5% and Wagner receiving 13.8%.

2021

Main article: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021

Glenn Youngkin (R) defeated Terry McAuliffe (D) in the general election for governor of Virginia on November 2, 2021, becoming the first Republican to win a statewide election in the state since 2009. Incumbent Gov. Ralph Northam (D) was unable to seek re-election due to term limits.[32]

The Los Angeles Times' Janet Hook called the race "the first big test of strength between parties since Biden was elected" and said it "could set the tone for the 2022 midterm election."[33] The outcome of this election, in addition to the state's House of Delegates elections, also determined Virginia's trifecta status. Virginia became a Democratic trifecta in 2019, for the first time since 1994. Youngkin's victory switched Virginia to a split government.

McAuliffe was governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018 and chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005.[34][35] He emphasized his previous term as governor, saying he "brought 200,000 good paying jobs to the Commonwealth, drove unemployment down, and raised personal income."[36] He compared Youngkin to former President Donald Trump (R), saying, "[Youngkin] is nothing more than a Trump loyalist, dead set on advancing an extreme agenda here in Virginia."[37][38][39]

Youngkin was a former co-CEO and president of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm, where he worked from 1995 to 2020.[40] In a Candidate Connection survey submitted to Ballotpedia, Youngkin said, "We need a governor with real-world experience who can create jobs, keep businesses from leaving, put an open-for-business sign on Virginia, and create a rip-roaring economy that lifts all Virginians."[41] Read his full survey responses here. He described McAuliffe as "a recycled, 40-year political insider and career politician who pretends to be a businessman."[42]

Princess Blanding (Liberation) and Paul Davis (I) also ran in the election. Blanding appeared on the general election ballot. Davis ran as a write-in candidate.

At the time of the election, Democrats had won four of the five most recent gubernatorial elections and all thirteen statewide elections in Virginia since 2012. Joe Biden (D) won the state in the 2020 presidential election, receiving 54% of the vote to Donald Trump's (R) 44%.

2017

Main article: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2017

The winner in this race was Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D). Click here to view vote totals for this election. Virginia held an election for governor on November 7, 2017. Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) was term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie (R), and patent attorney Cliff Hyra (L) ran for the open seat. The most recent overall race rating from five separate outlets was Lean Democrat.[43] Virginia law requires that voters register 22 days in advance of an election, meaning that the final day to register to vote in this election was October 16, 2017.

On this page, you will find an overview of the three candidates that were running for governor and their stances on the major issues facing the state, as well as the endorsements they earned. This is followed by information on polling, campaign finance, and race ratings. At the bottom of the page, information on past elections and Virginia's political climate are provided to contextualize the election.

As winner of the election, Northam will preside over the state's redistricting following the 2020 census and will have the ability to veto proposed district maps.[44] To see information about the June 13 primary election in this race, click here.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) was ineligible for re-election due to term limits.
  • Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) defeated former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie (R) and patent attorney Cliff Hyra (Lib.) in the November general election.
  • Alongside Mark Herring's victory in the attorney general election, Northam's victory maintained the state's Democratic triplex.
  • 2013

    See also: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2013

    The Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2013 following a Democratic primary election on June 11, 2013 and a Republican statewide convention on May 17-18, 2013.

    Incumbent Bob McDonnell (R) was term limited from running for re-election in 2013.

    Democratic businessman Terry McAuliffe defeated Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to take the seat.[45]

    Past elections

    See also: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021

    Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021 (June 8 Democratic primary)

    Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021 (May 8 Republican convention)

    General election

    General election for Governor of Virginia

    Glenn Youngkin defeated Terry McAuliffe, Princess Blanding, and Paul Davis in the general election for Governor of Virginia on November 2, 2021.

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Image of Glenn Youngkin
    Glenn Youngkin (R) Candidate Connection
     
    50.6
     
    1,663,596
    Image of Terry McAuliffe
    Terry McAuliffe (D)
     
    48.6
     
    1,600,116
    Image of Princess Blanding
    Princess Blanding (Liberation Party) Candidate Connection
     
    0.7
     
    23,125
    Image of Paul Davis
    Paul Davis (Independent) (Write-in) Candidate Connection
     
    0.0
     
    0
     Other/Write-in votes
     
    0.1
     
    2,593

    Total votes: 3,289,430
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

    Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

    Democratic primary election

    Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia

    Terry McAuliffe defeated Jennifer D. Carroll Foy, Jennifer McClellan, Justin Fairfax, and Lee Carter in the Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia on June 8, 2021.

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Image of Terry McAuliffe
    Terry McAuliffe
     
    62.1
     
    307,367
    Image of Jennifer D. Carroll Foy
    Jennifer D. Carroll Foy
     
    19.8
     
    98,052
    Image of Jennifer McClellan
    Jennifer McClellan
     
    11.8
     
    58,213
    Image of Justin Fairfax
    Justin Fairfax
     
    3.6
     
    17,606
    Image of Lee Carter
    Lee Carter
     
    2.8
     
    13,694

    Total votes: 494,932
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

    Republican convention

    Republican Convention for Governor of Virginia

    The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Glenn Youngkin in round 6 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.


    Total votes: 12,555
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

    Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

    2017

    Virginia Gubernatorial Election, 2017
    Party Candidate Vote % Votes
         Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Ralph Northam 53.86% 1,405,041
         Republican Ed Gillespie 44.98% 1,173,326
         Libertarian Cliff Hyra 1.16% 30,241
    Total Votes (2566/2566 precincts reporting) 2,608,608
    Source: The New York Times, "Live Election Results: Virginia," November 7, 2017

    2013

    Virginia Gubernatorial General Election, 2013
    Party Candidate Vote % Votes
         Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngTerry McAuliffe 47.8% 1,069,789
         Republican Ken Cuccinelli 45.2% 1,013,354
         Libertarian Robert Sarvis 6.5% 146,084
         N/A Write-in 0.5% 11,087
    Total Votes 2,240,314
    Election Results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

    2009

    See also: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2009

    The 2009 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2009, following a Democratic primary election on June 9, 2009 and a Republican statewide convention on May 30, 2009. Bob McDonnell (R) ran against Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) and won the election with 58.6% of the popular vote.[46]

    Governor of Virginia General Election, 2009
    Party Candidate Vote % Votes
         Democratic Creigh Deeds 41.3% 818,950
         Republican Green check mark transparent.pngBob McDonnell 58.6% 1,163,651
         None Write In 0.1% 2,502
    Total Votes 1,985,103

    2005

    See also: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2005

    The 2005 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2005, following a Republican primary election on June 14, 2005. Tim Kaine (D) ran against Jerry Kilgore (R) and Russ Potts (I), and won the election with 51.72% of the popular vote.[47]

    Governor of Virginia General Election, 2005
    Party Candidate Vote % Votes
         Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngTim Kaine 51.7% 1,025,942
         Republican Jerry Kilgore 46% 912,327
         Independent Russ Potts 2.2% 43,953
         None Write In 0.1% 1,556
    Total Votes 1,983,778

    2001

    See also: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2001

    The 2001 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2001, following a Republican convention on June 2, 2001.[48] Mark Warner (D) ran against Mark Earley (R) and William "Bill" Redpath (L), and won the election with 52.16% of the popular vote.[49]

    Governor of Virginia General Election, 2001
    Party Candidate Vote % Votes
         Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngMark Warner 52.2% 984,177
         Republican Mark Earley 47% 887,234
         Libertarian Bill Redpath 0.8% 14,497
         None Write In 0% 813
    Total Votes 1,886,721

    2025 battleground elections

    See also: Battlegrounds

    This is a battleground election. Other 2025 battleground elections include:

    See also

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    External links

    Footnotes

    1. USA Today, "Virginia's 2025 governor race is set. What to know about the high stakes election.,' April 20, 2025
    2. Virginia has held odd-year elections since state's constitution established the direct election of governors in 1851. The state's gubernatorial elections moved from one year after the midterms to one year after the presidential election, after federal law required the state to rewrite its constitution in 1868 following the Civil War. The 1868 constitution was ratified in 1869, the same year the state started holding gubernatorial elections, one year after the presidential election.
    3. WAMU, "Why Does Virginia Hold Elections In Off-Off Years?" accessed September 13, 2017
    4. WTOP, "Why Virginia’s likely Democratic nominee for governor is leaving ‘chaos’ of Congress to focus on the state," November 26, 2024
    5. WFXR, "INTERVIEW: Representative Abigail Spanberger discusses campaign for governor," August 28, 2024
    6. Winsome Earle-Sears 2025 campaign website, "Winsome Earle-Sears Secures Republican Nomination for Governor of Virginia," April 7, 2025
    7. WTOP, "Virginia’s likely Republican nominee for governor reflects on her priorities, reentry into politics," November 26, 2024
    8. Axios Richmond, "Virginia set to elect first woman governor in 2025 race," April 8, 2025
    9. co/efficient, "Virginia Statewide General Election 2025," accessed September 26, 2025
    10. Christopher Newport University, "VA Election 2025 Survey," September 18, 2025
    11. Cook Political Report, "As Earle-Sears Lags Spanberger's Cash Edge and Momentum, Virginia Gov Shifts from Lean to Likely Democrat," September 11, 2025
    12. Center for Politics, "The 2025-2026 Gubernatorial Races: Rating Changes in Virginia, Iowa, and Maine," September 4, 2025
    13. [https://coefficient.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Virginia-General-Election-Poll-8.26.25.pdf co/efficient, "Virginia Statewide 2025 General Election," August 26, 2025]
    14. Roanoke College, "Spanberger lead over Earle-Sears narrows," August 19, 2025
    15. For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
    16. Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
    17. Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
    18. Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
    19. Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
    20. Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
    21. OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
    22. OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
    23. National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
    24. 24.0 24.1 Washington Post, "Democrats continue cash advantage in Virginia election campaigns," September 16, 2025
    25. Politico, "Playbook: Trump sues the NYT," September 16, 2025
    26. Politico, "Playbook: Fired up, ready to go again," August 29, 2025
    27. Virginia Public Access Project, "Spanberger for Governor - Abigail," accessed September 19, 2025
    28. VoteVets, "About," accessed September 19, 2025
    29. Sports Betting Alliance, "About," accessed September 19, 2025
    30. Must include signatures of at least 400 qualified voters from each congressional district.
    31. Must include signatures of at least 400 qualified voters from each congressional district.
    32. Virginia's constitution prevents the governor from running for a second consecutive term, although there is no lifetime term limit, meaning governors can serve non-consecutive terms.
    33. Los Angeles Times, "Trump-Biden rematch by proxy? A governor’s race is shaping up as a key post-Trump test," May 24, 2021
    34. Leaders Magazine, "Financing the Road to the White House," July 2007
    35. VoteSmart, "Terry McAuliffe," accessed April 6, 2021
    36. Terry McAuliffe's 2021 campaign website, "Meet Terry," accessed June 18, 2021
    37. Blue Virginia, "Video: Ahead of Democratic Gubernatorial Debate, Terry for Virginia Releases New Digital Ad Calling Out Extremist Glenn Youngkin for Running on Trumpism," May 20, 2021
    38. YouTube, "Running for You," June 9, 2021
    39. Facebook, "Terry McAuliffe," June 14, 2021
    40. LinkedIn, "Glenn Youngkin," accessed April 5, 2021
    41. ’’Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey submitted on Feb. 19, 2021.’’
    42. Facebook, "Glenn Youngkin," June 8, 2021
    43. Ratings are based on projections found in Governing, Larry Sabato, The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, Decision Desk HQ, and The Cook Political Report. These ratings are updated periodically throughout the election season.
    44. Loyola Law School, "All About Redistricting - Virginia," accessed August 22, 2017
    45. ‘’FOX News,’’ “Democrat Terry McAuliffe wins Va. governor’s race, Fox News projects,” November 5, 2013
    46. Virginia State Board of Elections, "Gov November 2009 General Election Official Results," accessed June 19, 2013
    47. Virginia State Board of Elections, "General Election 2005 Official Results," accessed June 27, 2013
    48. The Green Papers, Off Year Election 2001, May 28 2002
    49. Virginia State Board of Elections, "General Election 2001 Official Results," accessed July 5, 2013