Tagnew hampshire

Stories about New Hampshire

The final state legislative election of 2022

By Douglas Kronaizl
In 2022 elections
February 16, 2023 at 9:09 PM

On Feb. 21, voters in New Hampshire’s House Stafford 8 District will determine the winner of the only remaining uncalled state legislative election of the 2022 cycle.

The seat was up for election on Nov. 8, but ended in a 970 to 970 vote tie, resulting in a redo election between incumbent Chuck Grassie (D) and David Walker (R).

Regarding the initial tied result, Grassie said, “this was not unexpected … We both ran good campaigns … and we’re both well-known in the community.” Walker said, “We’ve known each other for over 30 years, both well-known in the ward, so it is what it is.”

A redo election is a process of voiding election results and holding a new election. The specific reasons for calling a redo election vary but can include anything from a tied vote to deliberate efforts to obscure results to mistakes like a broken voting machine.

While New Hampshire’s redo election will not affect control of the state House, it will determine the extent of Republican control in the 400-member chamber, the nation’s largest.

If Grassie wins re-election, Republicans will control 201 seats to Democrats’ 197. If Walker wins, Republicans will extend their majority to 202 versus Democrats’ 196. Two seats, previously held by Democrats, are also currently vacant.

Under New Hampshire state law, in the event of a tied legislative race, the state Legislature either determines the winner or sets a process for deciding the winner.

Calling a redo election is not unprecedented in New Hampshire. The Legislature followed a similar course of action in 1992, also in response to a tied result.

Connecticut held a redo Democratic primary in House District 127 last September. In that race, officials learned that four ineligible voters had cast absentee/mail-in ballots, a larger number than the two-vote margin separating the candidates. Challenger Marcus Brown (D) defeated incumbent John Hennessy (D) in the redo election.



All candidates for New Hampshire House of Representatives Belknap 3 complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

By Ballotpedia staff
In 2022 elections
October 31, 2022 at 4:00 PM

Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Belknap 3 — incumbent Juliet Harvey-Bolia (R) and Sheryl Anderson (D) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. 

Eighty-eight of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold regularly scheduled elections in 2022. The Republican Party controls both chambers of New Hampshire’s state legislature. New Hampshire is one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta.

Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?            

Harvey-Bolia:     

  • “A proven Live Free or Die candidate who is committed to improving the Sanbornton and Tilton communities. Decreased the State-Wide Education Property Tax (SWEPT) by $100 million directly resulting in lower property tax bills for constituents across the state with no effect on the dollars going to schools.”
  • “Juliet successfully spearheaded an initiative to reopen our schools during the shutdown. She has worked for years to improve Main Street while keeping tax-payers costs down.”
  • “‘Man is not free unless government is limited’ – Ronald Reagan’s Farewell Address to the American People”

Anderson:           

  • “I believe that we are all more alike than we are dissimilar. I care deeply about the future we are creating for our children and all the succeeding generations. I believe we are living at a pivotal moment.”
  • “I pay attention to what is going on. I am a listener and am willing to change my mind as I learn more about an issue.”
  • “I believe we will sink or swim together. Our future is a shared future, and problems anywhere ultimately affect everyone everywhere.”

Click on the candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.

We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.

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New Hampshire House of Representative elections, 2022



All candidates for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 4 complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

By Ballotpedia staff
In 2022 elections
October 31, 2022 at 3:58 PM

Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 4 — Heather Baldwin (D) and Steven Babin (R) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. 

Eighty-eight of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold regularly scheduled elections in 2022. The Republican Party controls both chambers of New Hampshire’s state legislature. New Hampshire is one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta.

Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?            

Baldwin:           

  • “I am a retired educator who will work to keep our public school systm strong and free from censor.”
  • “I am committed to preserving and protecting the natural riches of this area, and will work to safeguard our natural resources.”
  • “I am committed to promoting respectful political discourse and am eager to work toward bipartisan solutions to the state’s issues.”

Babin:               

  • “Acountability”
  • “New Hampshire Constitution”
  • “Civility”

Click on the candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.

We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.

Additional reading:

New Hampshire House of Representative elections, 2022



All candidates for New Hampshire State Senate District 10 complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

By Ballotpedia staff
In 2022 elections
October 26, 2022 at 3:19 PM

Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for New Hampshire State Senate District 10 — Donovan Fenton (D) and Sly Karasinski (R) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. 

Eighty-eight of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold regularly scheduled elections in 2022. The Republican Party controls both chambers of New Hampshire’s state legislature. New Hampshire is one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta.

Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Fenton:

  • “The world is in a climate crisis, and we need to act now. This is a direct threat to us and to future generations.”
  • “We need sustainable, long-term economic relief for both residents and small businesses. Actions taken by the majority in the NH legislature during this past session and in the budget process have done absolutely nothing to lower property taxes – in fact, they have cut state funding for property tax drivers such as public-school funding.”
  • “Public Education in NH must be supported, not undermined. The budget passed last year drastically cut public school funding.”

Karasinski:                 

  • “I oppose any Income Tax, Sales Tax, or Interest and Dividends Tax. Onerous Regulations will be repealed. I will propose sunset provisions to spending bills.”
  • “I will fight for Parental Rights and School Choice. I support Education Freedom Accounts, and oppose the teaching of Critical Race Theory.”
  • “I support the Police, Accountability, and the Law. The Right to Self-Defense and Our Second Amendment Rights Shall Not Be Infringed.”

Click on the candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.

We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.

Additional reading:



All candidates for New Hampshire House of Representatives Belknap 1 complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

By Ballotpedia staff
In 2022 elections
October 14, 2022 at 10:41 AM

Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for New Hampshire House of Representative Belknap 1 — incumbent Tom Ploszaj (R) and Sean Kavanagh (D) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. 

Eighty-eight of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold regularly scheduled elections in 2022. The Republican Party controls both chambers of New Hampshire’s state legislature. New Hampshire is one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta.

Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?            

Ploszaj:       

  • “Promise #1 kept!: Listened to and represented the residents. Not an agenda of either a political party’s nor my own”
  • “Promise #2 kept!: Communicated with and provided residents and town officials with updates to my voting thoughts and plans for their input prior to casting their District’s votes”
  • “Promise #3 kept!: Refrained from political rhetoric, treated and interacted with each resident as an individual with their own unique beliefs, not as a political subset”

Kavanagh:       

  • “ECONOMY I will use my business experience to promote an economy that uses New Hampshire’s human and natural resources to improve the lives of the residents of this region.”
  • “WOMEN’S RIGHTS ‘Live Free’ also extends to the women of New Hampshire, and their rights to bodily autonomy. I unequivocally support a woman’s right to choose.”
  • “EDUCATION I will work to protect K-12 public education by attracting and retaining the best teachers. I will also research ways to allow school choice that is fair and equitable.”

Click on the candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.

We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.

Additional reading:



All candidates for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 45 complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

By Ballotpedia staff
In 2022 elections
October 14, 2022 at 10:37 AM

Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for New Hampshire House of Representative Hillsborough 45 — Karen Calabro (D) and Colton Skorupan (R) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. 

Eighty-eight of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold regularly scheduled elections in 2022. The Republican Party controls both chambers of New Hampshire’s state legislature. New Hampshire is one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta.

Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?            

Calabro:       

  • “Economic Stability: In order for people to find stability in their lives, they need to have economic stability.”
  • “Experience/Educational expansion- part of financial stability lies in having the right experience for the job.”
  • “Freedom/Constitutional rights and Personal freedoms: there are few things more important than our State Constitution, and the rights it provides us.”

Skorupan:       

  • “Freedom First. When contemplating any legislation, individual freedom has intrinsic value that must be weighed”
  • “Ballot and voting integrity are primary for the basic function of a republic”
  • “The Constitution exists as a rulebook that protects us all. Follow it or amend it, but never ignore it.”

Click on the candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.

We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.

Additional reading:



Incumbent Rep. Annie Kuster (D) and Bob Burns (R) running in NH-02

By Amee LaTour
In 2022 elections
September 29, 2022 at 6:36 PM

Incumbent Rep. Annie Kuster (D) and Bob Burns (R) are running for New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District on Nov. 8, 2022.

Kuster first took office in 2013. She said, “I will protect access to safe, legal abortion, and my opponent, Mr. Burns, won’t, and that’s the difference. That’s what’s on the ballot this November.” Kuster is also campaigning on her record in Congress, saying she has put New Hampshirites over partisan politics, including by working with both parties to increase economic opportunities and by supporting a ban on members of Congress trading stock.

Burns said, “Managing taxpayer money as the Hillsborough County Treasurer and managing the payroll at Burns Automation is the type of real-world experience that is needed now more than ever in Congress.” Burns said people won’t want to vote for Democrats due to high oil costs this fall. He said he would like to ban abortion but didn’t think it was going to happen and that he supports “a fetal heartbeat bill. That’s abortion up to 12 weeks.”

Kuster defeated Steve Negron (R) 54% to 44% in 2020 and 56% to 42% in 2018. That year, Burns placed fourth in the 2nd District Republican primary with 16%.

The outcome of this race will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. House in the 118th Congress. All 435 House districts are up for election. Democrats hold a 221-212 majority. Republicans need to gain a net of six districts to win a majority in the chamber.

Daily Kos calculated what the 2020 presidential election results in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have received 53.6% of the vote in this district and Donald Trump (R) would have received 44.7%.



Incumbent Chris Pappas (D) and Karoline Leavitt (R) face off in NH-01

By Amee LaTour
In 2022 elections, Federal
September 23, 2022 at 9:16 PM

Incumbent Chris Pappas (D) and Karoline Leavitt (R) are running for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District on November 8, 2022.

Pappas served on the New Hampshire Executive Council and in the state House of Representatives before Congress. He emphasizes his experience owning a restaurant. Pappas says his record includes working for affordable healthcare for New Hampshirites and combatting the opioid crisis. Pappas called Leavitt “the most extreme, out-of-step nominee” the district has seen and has criticized Leavitt’s support for the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

Leavitt was a presidential writer and assistant press secretary under President Donald Trump (R). She highlights working for her family’s small business while growing up and her work in the Trump administration. Leavitt discusses securing the border, supporting police, and banning critical race theory as priorities. She said Pappas, along with President Joe Biden (D) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D), are “destroying our economy, brainwashing our children, and allowing illegals to invade.”

Democrats have held the seat since 2017. The 1st District changed party hands five times in elections between 2006 and 2016, alternating between Democrat Carol Shea-Porter and Republican Frank Guinta. Pappas was first elected in 2018, when he defeated Eddie Edwards (R) 54% to 45%. In 2020, Pappas defeated Matt Mowers (R) 51% to 46%.

Leavitt defeated Mowers in the 2022 Republican primary 33% to 26%.

The outcome of this race will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 118th Congress. All 435 districts in the House are up for election. As of September 20, 2022, Democrats hold a 221-212 advantage in the U.S. House with two vacancies. Republicans need to gain a net of six districts to win a majority in the chamber.

Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have received 52.2% of the vote in this district and Donald Trump (R) would have received 46.2%.



Incumbent Maggie Hassan (D), Don Bolduc (R), and Jeremy Kaufmann (L) in battleground N.H. U.S. Senate election

By Amee LaTour
In 2022 elections, Federal
September 22, 2022 at 11:53 AM

Incumbent Maggie Hassan (D), Don Bolduc (R), and Jeremy Kauffman (L) are running for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire on November 8, 2022.

Hassan took office in 2017. Hassan is campaigning on what she describes as a bipartisan record and her support for a gas tax holiday through 2022, saying she has worked to lower costs for residents. Hassan says Bolduc is an extremist and that he “said he would vote for any anti-choice legislation in the U.S. Senate, and that he would never compromise.”

Bolduc, a retired Army brigadier general, said the election “is about the economy, fiscal responsibility and the safety and security of this nation.” He attributes inflation and high gas prices to Hassan and other Democrats. Bolduc’s campaign ads emphasize his military background and call Hassan a career politician. Bolduc said he’d support allowing states to set abortion policy.

A mid-September poll showed Hassan leading Bolduc 51% to 40%. The poll’s credibility interval, similar to a margin of error, was +/- 3.4 percentage points.

In the state’s 2020 Senate election, incumbent Jeanne Shaheen (D) won re-election against Bryant Messner (R) by a margin of 16 percentage points. In 2016, Hassan defeated incumbent Kelly Ayotte (R) by 0.1 percentage points.

President Joe Biden (D) won New Hampshire by 7 percentage points in 2020. Hillary Clinton (D) won the state in the 2016 presidential election by 0.3 percentage points.

The outcome of this race will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate. Thirty-five of 100 seats are up for election, including one special election. Democrats have an effective majority, with the chamber split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) having the tie-breaking vote. Fourteen seats held by Democrats and 21 seats held by Republicans are up for election in 2022.




Rate of contested state legislative primaries increases in New Hampshire

By Douglas Kronaizl
In 2022 elections, State
September 9, 2022 at 9:33 AM

New Hampshire has 89 contested state legislative primaries this year, 20% of the total number of possible primaries, and a 31% increase from 2020.

The rate of contested primaries this year is at its highest point compared to the four preceding election cycles.

Of the 89 contested primaries, there are 20 for Democrats and 69 for Republicans. For Democrats, this is down from 30 in 2020, a 33% decrease. For Republicans, the number is up 82% from 38 in 2020.

One hundred sixteen incumbents face primary challenges, representing 38% of all incumbents running for re-election. This is higher than in 2020 and 2018, but lower than 2016 when 41% of incumbents faced contested primaries.

Of the 116 incumbents in contested primaries, 26 are Democrats and 90 are Republicans.

Overall, 904 major party candidates—430 Democrats and 474 Republicans—filed to run. All 400 House and 24 Senate seats are up for election.

One hundred twenty-six of those seats are open, meaning no incumbents filed. This guarantees that at least 30% of the legislature will be represented by newcomers next year, the largest such percentage since at least 2014.

New Hampshire has had a Republican trifecta since 2020 when the party won control of both chambers of the legislature. Republicans currently have a 203-179-1 majority in the House with 17 vacancies. The party has a 13-10 majority in the Senate with one vacancy.

New Hampshire’s trifecta status has changed four times since 2010.

New Hampshire’s state legislative primaries are scheduled for Sept. 13, the 17th and final statewide primary date of the 2022 state legislative election cycle.

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