As Virginia voters decide today who will be their next governor, nonprofit workers in the state have been pushing the candidates to speak up on charity issues.

The V3 Campaign, an advocacy group in Washington, asked the 350,000 people who work at nonprofit organizations in Virginia to sign an online petition asking the candidates to appoint a “senior official” in the state capital who would encourage volunteering, identify partnerships between local government and charities, and in general advocate for nonprofit interests.

The group has made its pitch on economic grounds, saying that nonprofit efforts generate $8-billion in wages and $461-million in tax revenue for Virginia.

While neither of the candidates — Republican Bob McDonnell or Democrat Creigh Deeds — have endorsed the plan so far, there are signs that the idea is gaining traction elsewhere.

In Connecticut, for example, Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy has developed a “three-point plan” for charities as part of his potential campaign for governor in next year’s election. (Mr. Malloy, a Democrat, has formed an exploratory committee but has not yet entered the race.)

The politician says he would create a new, commissioner-level position to oversee a Nonprofit Human Services Cabinet. “The state should elevate a single individual whose purview and responsibility would be to serve as a representative and voice for nonprofits in Connecticut’s executive branch,” the plan says on his Web site.

Robert Egger, the founder of V3, says, “This is the first time I’ve seen anyone take this tone.”

Read The Chronicle’s 2008 article about V3. (A paid subscription or temporary pass is required to view the article.)