Party: Democratic
Age: 66
Town of residence: Weare
Profession/experience in elected office: Organic farmer and college debate coach (both for 40 years)
Top issue: My top issue is making sure the state lives up to its constitutional duty to fund the public schools. Senate District 8 is ground zero for this issue. Seventy percent of the children who attend public schools in this Senate district attend school districts suing the state for not living up to its duty. If the state provided more funding, this would provide two benefits: (1) every child would get a good education, and (2) it would take the burden off the local property taxpayers allowing towns to fund their other necessary local services.
Party: Republican
Age: 87
Town of residence: Stoddard
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired nurse practitioner. Four-term incumbent.
Top issue: The top issue facing our state and nation is the affordability crisis. Inflation has made everything from housing to gas to groceries more expensive for working Granite Staters. This has a real effect on our everyday lives. We cannot stop inflation, but there are steps we can take to lessen its harm. We need to make sure that taxes are low so that you can keep more of your own money, and we must encourage more building of housing that families can afford. I will also continue to fight for more property tax relief for all Granite Staters and for more education funding, including expanding school choice for lower income students.
Party: Republican
Age: 63
Town of residence: Grantham
Profession/experience in elected office: Chief engineer
Top issue: My priority, if elected, will be to ensure and protect the constitutional rights of every legal citizen of New Hampshire and base every decision I may be tasked to make coincide with those rights. I will also do everything in my power to stop the destructive policies of the progressive movement that has unfortunately infiltrated the Democrat party. New Hampshire has always stood for hard work, family, faith, and freedom and I will work to ensure that for future generations.
Party: Democratic
Age: 66
Town of residence: Grantham
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired – Taught science and was a 25-year teacher advocate and labor representative for National Education Association of N.H. Four-term incumbent.
Top issue: As the current ranking member and former chair of the House Labor Committee, workers rights are a top priority for me. I am working on a bill to improve health and safety standards for public sector workers. These standards should be similar to the (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards that cover all other workers.
I also recognize the need to address the lack of workforce housing in New Hampshire, especially in the Upper Valley. Employers cannot find workers to fill many job openings because workers cannot find affordable housing. The cost and availability of child care is also making it difficult for parents to participate in the workforce. We need to find a way to support parents and child care providers.
Party: Democratic
Age: 68
Town of residence: Cornish
Profession/experience in elected office: Physician. Serves on Saint Gaudens Memorial Board. First-term incumbent.
Top issue: I am on the Health and Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee and have been and will continue to work to maintain and improve access to health care. This includes reproductive health care, mental health care, addiction treatment and care for the LGBTQ+ community…
We also have a shortage of health care providers of all types from nurses aides to physicians and I serve on committees that are looking at ways to fill the large number of vacancies in health care. To this end I will also support increasing housing, child care and supporting the excellence in public education needed to attract and retain these essential professionals.
Party: Republican
Age: 25
Town of residence: Plainfield
Profession/experience in elected office: Administrative assistant and Cornish Fair Association director
Top issue: My priority is getting constituents’ concerns addressed, whether that is through legislation or departments. I’m running on affordability and quality of life and highlighting our corner of the state with its rural challenges. However, it is not solely about issues; it is about knowing the people and the process. Even though I have not been elected, I have worked with many department directors, commissioners, state representatives, senators, executive councilors and the governor for the last six years to get projects moving and finished. I know them by name, and they know me; I am ready to hit the ground running…
Party: Democratic
Age: 36
Town of residence: Newport
Profession/experience in elected office: Co-business owner
Top issue: My top priority when I get elected is to focus on state public education funding and lowering our property taxes. The way I plan to address these issues is getting the state of New Hampshire to legalize cannabis. Our state could benefit from the tax revenue that would be brought in, if cannabis is legalized. Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine are receiving the profits when those profits should be staying in New Hampshire.
Party: Republican
Age: 71
Town of residence: Newport
Profession/experience in elected office: Retail – LaValley Building Supply. Six-term incumbent.
Top issue: The number one issue in my district is school funding. With the two school funding lawsuits still in the courts and no final decision currently we need to find a path forward. I have in the past and will continue in the future to vote for any school funding bills that come to the floor. This is not a Republican vs. Democrat issue. It is a rich town vs. property poor town issue and it needs to be addressed.
Party: Republican
Age: 60
Town of residence: Charlestown
Profession/experience in elected office: Hobby retailer. Seven-term incumbent and deputy speaker of the House
Top issue: Every two years, we fight and do legislative gymnastics to provide extra education aid to towns like Charlestown and Newport. It is time to tear up the current system and start with a blank page. It shouldn’t be this hard. Some reforms have been made to car inspection rules, but there is still room for improvement. This is a huge burden in low-income families. Parent’s rights over the rights of public employees need to be defined and protected. Housing costs need to be addressed by removing onerous processes. State regulations and fees that drive up energy costs need to be reformed. Child care needs to be made more affordable, so that people can afford to work.
Party: Republican
Age: 69
Town of residence: Charlestown
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired attorney, business manager, business finance consultant. Two-term incumbent.
Top issue: I will continue pursuing an array of reforms to alleviate the intense burden education funding places on real property taxes and I’ll work to reduce this constant pressure on our communities. New Hampshire overburdens real estate taxes with municipal funding, county funding, local education, and statewide education levies. This wealth tax of as much of 3-4% of a property’s value taken annually undermines a community and prevents it from plotting a viable path to recovery, keeping poor towns poor. We must find other revenue sources at the state level to help support educational funding. We must eliminate the discriminatory application of SWEPT (statewide education property tax) and we must ensure that state aid includes a significant component that directs aid to property poor towns specifically. I’ll pursue a multi-pronged approach.
Party: Republican
Age: 71
Town of residence: Sunapee
Profession/experience in elected office: self-employed, building contractor. Former member of the Sunapee Planning Board.
Top issue: My top priority would be to keep taxes down. No income or sales tax. I would look into agencies to see if there is any wasteful spending on the bureaucratic end and if there are more efficient ways to get the work done. I would advocate to create a realistic budget and stick to it. I would support parental rights legislation that ensures parents have a strong voice in the education and well-being of their children.
Party: Democrat
Age: declined to provide
Town of residence: Georges Mills/Sunapee
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired high school teacher. Previously served on town and school budget committees in Sunapee. Five-term incumbent
Top issue: Education funding. There are two court cases deliberating about the state’s constitutional responsibility for providing and funding an adequate, public-school education. The courts’ decisions will determine legislative work. This is a complex issue but should be centered on student outcomes and providing free and fair public education.
The introduction of the Educational Freedom Account vouchers has added a drain of money from the Education Trust fund to students 80% of whom were already going to private or religious schools. Recent audits have revealed mismanagement and a lack of transparency that drives up costs for taxpayers. I am submitting a transparency and fraud reduction bill to require the EFA voucher program to recertify income and residency verification each school year. This is part of increased guardrails that can ensure this program is managed responsibly and has accountability for taxpayer resourced money.
Party: Democrat
Age: 66
Town of residence: Claremont
Profession/experience in elected office: private security officer. Sixteen-term incumbent.
Top issue: I believe the most important issue is reducing local property taxes by increasing state aid to grades K-12 public education, funneling more money to municipalities for their roads and bridges and requiring the state to provide at least some funds as it did before 2012 for public employee pensions. In order to get the money to implement this priority, I think we should scrutinize all areas of the state budget for savings. But if necessary, I believe the state should raise additional revenue by reversing the scheduled abolition of the Interest and Dividends Tax, devising a revenue stream to replace fossil fuel taxes for funding state and local transportation that is fairer and more environmentally sustainable, and legalizing cannabis, among other options.
Party: Democratic
Age: 57
Town of residence: Claremont
Profession/experience in elected office: paramedic/administrator. Claremont mayor, member of the Claremont Development Authority, the CCTV Board of Directors and Airport Advisory Committee. Previously served on Claremont Planning Board.
Top issue: Ensuring adequate education funding that supports both students and communities. I will work in a nonpartisan manner to develop funding solutions that comply with the most recent ConVal vs State of NH court decision. My goal is to assist local communities in a balanced approach that secures education funding without negatively impacting essential school and municipal resources like highway grants, rooms and meals tax distributions, and other critical services. By fostering collaboration, we can create fair and sustainable solutions.
Party: Republican
Age: 61
Town of residence: Claremont
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired – New Hampshire Army National Guard (Active Duty), former business owner. Claremont city councilor
Top issue: Housing. As the tax burden is shifting from commercial property to residential, we need to increase our inventory. This also affects our economic growth, no housing, no new businesses, because there is nowhere for employees to live. How do we fix this problem? We have to review and adjust our zoning laws to ease some restrictions without sacrificing the character of towns and neighbors; safety or energy efficiency. This is not a quick fix. The approval process for new development is slow, however every new house or apartment built is an increase to the municipality’s tax base and helps to lower the overall taxpayers’ burden.
Party: Democrat
Age: 71
Town of residence: Claremont
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired pharmacist and health care administrator. Three-term incumbent.
Top issue: Fighting for hardworking Granite Staters and those on fixed incomes, especially seniors. Their number one concern is the the financial burden of property taxes and how it impacts having enough money to buy food and gas and pay for prescription drugs and health insurance premiums and deductibles. The state has failed to honor financial commitments related to pensions, education and sharing rooms and meals tax. When the state fails, it means less state funds are sent to cities and towns who then need to increase your property taxes to cover the shortfall. I will support a state budget that honors state promises so cities and towns can begin to reduce the burden of property taxes.
Party: Republican
Age: 71
Town of residence: Claremont
Profession/experience in elected office: Semi-retired engineer/physicist. Served one term in the N.H. House (2012-14) representing Hillsborough County District 18. Served on the Zoning Board of Appeals and budget committee in Goffstown.
Top issue: My highest priority is to increase educational choices for parents while reducing the tax burden on our local communities. When students graduate from high school barely literate or able to do basic math, and the school budget per child is increasing considerably faster than inflation, parents and taxpayers need a better value. I will advocate for more parental options such as EFAs (education freedom accounts) which improve educational outcomes while lowering the tax burden on all taxpayers. In addition, I will advocate for every measure that increases parental and community involvement in the operation of their local school systems, including higher levels of transparency in reporting costs and educational outcomes.
Party: Republican
Age: 40
Town of residence: Claremont
Profession/experience in elected office: Dunkin crew member
Top issue: We need a government-industry partnership to create housing for the working and middle class. Tax abatements, building incentives and encourage more manufactured housing.
Prohibiting abortions except for emergency circumstances after six months is the current law in New Hampshire and should remain to protect viable human life in the womb. We need to get serious and realize the true cost of education is not $4,000 but upwards of $15,000 or more. The court has ordered a uniform tax rate to support education and that includes the very successful education freedom accounts. So let’s get to that to cover at least the basic one-third to one-half of total expenses and leave the balance up to local communities for the custom aspect of education they desire.
Party: Independent
Age: 62
Town of residence: Claremont
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired – federal government in telecommunications/ cybersecurity.
Top issue: Cannabis must be accepted in our New Hampshire society. The people shall compel the federal government to end its “illegal” classification. Once all states accept cannabis, the FDA would require all drug makers to do a supplemental study, and publish the effects of cannabis on the drugs they produce. Too many Americans are experimenting with their lives. Also too much tax revenue is lost to surrounding states. Abortion law to be left unchanged. Current law consistent in spirit of Roe v. Wade. Though I hope people would not use it as a form of birth control. Men’s rights when it comes to abortion and child support. Current law is antiquated where it favors one sex over the other in choosing life, financial support and raising a child.
Party: Republican
Age: 66
Town of residence: Plainfield
Profession/experience in elected office: EMT. Plainfield Cemetery Trustee. First-term incumbent.
Top issue: Putting parents securely in the “education equals students plus teachers plus parents” equation, including, but not limited to, being able to choose the best type of educational environment for their children.
Containing special education costs by targeting aid based on services delivered instead of one-size-fits-all appropriations per student and by working to get the federal government to contribute the full 40% reimbursement it promises rather than the 17% most schools receive.
Getting the government out of the way by sponsoring bills like the one I did this year that raised the capacity of in-home daycare by 33% just by raising the number of children permitted per home from three to four.
Party: Democratic
Age: 40
Town of residence: Plainfield.
Profession/experience in elected office: Full-time mother of four the last 10 years. Plainfield School Board chairwoman
Top issue: My three priorities are: improving education, lowering costs and protecting our freedoms.
I understand the importance of high quality public education and that we need a fair system to fund it. I believe that education is the foundation of our Democracy.We must make it easier and faster to build homes and energy projects in order to lower costs for everyone. I believe that the State Legislature must address the high costs of housing, healthcare and childcare.
I will work to protect universal freedoms for all Granite Staters so that everyone may thrive including: women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and the freedom of expression.
Party: Republican
Age: 70
Town of residence: Acworth
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired IT manager in the insurance industry. Member of the Acworth Planning Board and Fall Mountain Regional School District Budget Committee.
Top issue: Expand housing and lower property taxes. This is a tricky issue because we don’t just want to make regulations that force a one size fits all solution to small towns and municipalities. I’d want to address this in a way that is flexible enough to work within towns’ zoning ordinances.
Party: Democratic
Age: 67
Town of residence: Croydon
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired from career as dietitian, diabetes educator, eating disorders specialist, small business owner. First-term incumbent.
Top issue: I will continue to engage in thoughtful, bipartisan work to create an affordable economy for all including: Increase state funding of public education — less reliance on local property taxes including revenue from legalizing cannabis; increase access to affordable housing and reliable child care with public-private partnerships, first-time homebuyer loans, low-income housing tax credit program, incentives for ADUs and duplexes, child care provider and teacher retention programs; affordable health care including sexual health education, access to contraception and full reproductive health care. Reducing unintended pregnancies is essential health care and economically important. Mental health education and timely care will more adequately address the opioid crisis which is a burden on our economy; pro-active attention to climate change is necessary to protect our environment and for a sound economy.
Party: Democratic
Age: 50
Town of residence: Claremont
Profession/experience in elected office: Human Resources. Member of the Claremont City Council Policy Committee
Top issue: Reproductive freedom. When Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, we were left without constitutional protections for deeply personal reproductive health care decisions like abortion care, contraception and IVF. These are decisions that should be made by individuals in consultation with qualified medical professionals, not the government. As we have seen in many other states, this has resulted in needless physical and emotional suffering. While New Hampshire’s current law may seem adequate, there is nothing in place that would prevent more extreme measures from being enacted in the future. We need to pass legislation that ensures that our reproductive rights are continuously protected from extreme and restrictive proposals that interfere with personal medical decisions.
Party: Republican
Age: 51
Town of residence: Claremont
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired law enforcement/small business owner. Former Claremont city councilor and former member of the council’s policy committee. First-term incumbent
Top issue: If reelected, my top priority is to keep New Hampshire free and prosperous by standing strong against new taxes and wasteful spending. I will fight to protect our low-tax, pro-business environment, ensuring families and small businesses can thrive without government interference. We as a state need to get serious about making housing more affordable and reducing health care costs while maintaining our strong commitment to personal freedom. … Being a member of the House Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee, it is clear as a state we need to take on the fentanyl crisis. This problem requires a comprehensive approach that requires stricter enforcement laws and harm reduction efforts.