Party: Republican
Age: 50
Town of residence: Littleton
Profession/experience in elected office: Pharmacist, small business owner, current state representative for six Grafton County towns of Grafton-1
Top issue: …The rising cost of living. Granite Staters are feeling the effects of national policies that are causing inflation and raising prices for everything from groceries, to gas, to homes, to electric bills and heating oil…
As state legislators, our top priority should be to keep taxes low and allow people to keep more of their own money. Our state’s economy has benefited from our low tax advantage that has brought high paying jobs. It is imperative that we stop those politicians that want to force us into a state income tax that will simply be another expense for workers and a hindrance on economic growth.
Party: Democrat
Age: 47
Town of residence: Sugar Hill
Profession/experience in elected office: Small business owner and lead guide at the North Country Climbing Center; firefighter at Sugar Hill Fire Department; captain, Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team; board president, Bethlehem Colonial Theatre; executive committee and board member of Granite United Way; immediate past president, Littleton Rotary Club Charitable Fund; past president, Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce; past clerk of Lafayette Regional School Board
Top issue: …The current school funding system is broken — it is unfair to students, unfair to taxpayers and blatantly unconstitutional. The state has failed to meet its constitutional obligation to adequately fund public education, leaving local property taxpayers to pick up the slack. This disproportionately hurts our rural communities, where the towns least able to afford higher taxes bear the heaviest burden. For example, a homeowner in Lisbon pays three times the tax rate for education as a homeowner in Portsmouth. This system not only abuses our rural taxpayers but also shortchanges our students by forcing schools to operate with fewer resources.
I am a pragmatist, and I believe there are multiple ways we can address this crisis. Reforming how the state funds education is essential—not just for our students but also to provide much-needed property tax relief to those struggling under the current system…
Party: Republican
Age: 60
Town of Residence: Etna
Profession/experience in elected office: Physician at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center since 1999. I am a board-certified neuroradiologist and diagnostic radiologist with fellowship training in body imaging and musculoskeletal imaging, as well as a small business owner.
Top issue: Maintaining and growing the economy to facilitate an increase in jobs and wage growth. True wage growth only occurs through economic growth and increases in productivity and cannot be legislated. For us to achieve this we must protect and expand on our advantages compared to the surrounding competitor states. Allowing the Democrats to levy new state income and sales taxes will erode our advantage, drive away business and stop the flow of out-of-state money into our state. Eroding this advantage will hurt those who are least able to afford it with higher pr ices and job loss.
Party: Democrat
Age: 60
Town of residence: West Lebanon
Profession/experience in elected office: Executive director, American Trauma Society, paramedic; mayor of Lebanon 2017-2019, Lebanon City Council 2009 – 2021, two-term state senator
Top issue: Housing – Addressing the housing crisis in New Hampshire, specifically here in the Upper Valley, requires a multi-faceted approach, as the problem is influenced by a combination of factors such as rising demand, insufficient supply, regulatory hurdles and affordability issues. Some strategies that could help solve the housing crisis, while preserving the character of our neighborhoods include:
â Streamlining permitting by addressing the approval process for construction, especially for affordable and workforce housing projects…
â Increasing funding to NH’s Affordable Housing Fund as well as offering tax credits or incentives for both developers and communities to build low and moderate-income housing.
â Incentivize development through public-private partnerships…
â Incentivize the conversion of vacant commercial buildings into housing…
Party: Democrat
Age: 49
Town of residence: Andover
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired Naval officer, husband, father and patriot.
Top issue: I will work to keep your medical decisions private, improve mental health care for vets and first responders, and fight downshifting tax burdens that increase your property taxes. I will champion your right to personal and home defense while encouraging level-headed gun culture. I will defend besieged public education and support a smarter, constitutional school choice policy that doesn’t break the bank. I will help reinvigorate a struggling logging industry, and keep NH’s forests thriving, its lakes clean and its air pure.
Party: Republican
Age: 61
Town of residence: Bradford NH
Profession/experience in elected office: Professor of business at the University of New Hampshire, owner of Trail’s End Farma farm in Bradford, N.H., previously served in the state Senate for one term from 2016-2018
Top issue: The state’s economy. Everything that we do in state government depends heavily on the business profit tax. Business taxes are our single biggest source of revenue, so it’s critically important that our economy remains strong.
Party: Republican
Age: 55
Town of residence: North Haverhill
Profession/experience in elected office: Delegate to the Republican Convention 2022 — present, New Hampshire Republican State Committee member 2022-present
Top issue: My top issue is the state’s heavy reliance on property taxes for revenue… This unfairly burdens property owners in rural areas because they own larger tracts of land. …We need additional revenue streams to support the State of New Hampshire and a decrease in reliance on property taxes, without the creation of a sales or income tax. This can be done by attracting more business opportunity and development to this state through Right to Work and decreasing educational spending through school choice programs …
Party: Democrat
Age: 72
Town of residence: Landaff
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired senior computer scientist and a Navy Vietnam veteran, who served as a linguist. Landaff Selectboard member
Top issue: My top issue is the school voucher system, because it’s not working properly. It’s taking money away from the schools, which really hurts the schools up here in the North Country, raising the property taxes, and the money isn’t even being handled here. It’s being handled down in another city, and there’s no oversight over what’s happening with that money. The worst thing is that people are able to use this to send their children to religious schools, which is unconstitutional. I want to fix the system. I want to make it work better…
Party: Republican
Age: 79
Town of residence: Haverhill
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired teacher and principal; Lt. U.S. Army Artillery Vietnam — Air Medal for Valor; prior Haverhill Selectboard chairman; prior chairman Haverhill Corner water and fire district; City Councilman in Homer, AK. Chairman of House Education Committee and chair of Public School Infrastructure Commission; nine-term incumbent.
Top issue: Since 2008, New Hampshire’s K-12 public school population has dropped from 210,000 to 160,000 students; while the FY23 average education cost per pupil of $20,323 is a 4.8% increase from the previous year. The complicated interaction of state and local funding of public education, coupled with inflationary operational costs, is a priority issue requiring legislative focus.
In accordance with the Claremont decisions, state K-12 appropriations must provide the same opportunity for an adequate education of all children, regardless of a municipality’s wealth or need. To comply with court findings, as some may advocate, the state’s base amount for adequacy would be increased from $4,180 to $7,356 per pupil. To accomplish this end, the NH biennial education budget would require an additional $960 million. I am sensitive to disparity and inequities encountered in property poor schools; however, an increase of this magnitude is not the “fix,” or sustainable.
Rather, the state needs to focus on funding accountability, while also modifying and redirecting the current funding formula to better support required educational needs in property and income poor districts…
Party: Democrat
Age: 44
Town of residence: Haverhill
Profession/experience in elected office: Soldier/Aircraft Technician/IT Technician
Top issue: Property taxes. I love living here as much as everyone else does, and the increases we are seeing are not sustainable…
The way I would address it is by following the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Claremont decisions… The first case determined that students have a right in the state constitution to an adequate education. The second case found that in order to fulfill its duty to provide an adequate education, the state must develop a school funding system that taxes its residents in an equal manner. We currently have 26 property wealthy communities that are refusing to pay the Statewide Education Property Tax, and fighting to have the Claremont rulings overturned. If they are overturned we would see even more costs of our school systems shift to our local property taxes. …
On top of that we are looking at two revenue sources going away in 2025. The first is the Interest on Surplus Funds, and the second is the Interest and Dividends Tax. … If you think our neighbors in Vermont had a property tax increase just wait until we have to make up the loss of these revenue sources.
Party: Republican
Age: 62
Town of residence: Canaan
Profession/experience in elected office: Retired U.S. Air Force chief master sergeant (E-9). He has not held elected office.
Top issue: The economy affects everyone. A good economy requires a pro-business environment. Reducing red tape and eliminating needless regulations spurs business. (…) I will work hard to keep regulations to a minimum and eliminate those laws that serve no real purpose or make it hard for people to succeed. Helping businesses succeed is good for everyone living in New Hampshire.
Party: Democrat
Age: 70
Town of residence: Canaan
Profession/experience in elected office: Communications and management consultant, president and founder of O2 Strategies. He served as chief of staff to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus during President Obama’s Administration and has been a member of the Canaan Planning Board since 2021. He also chairs the Canaan Economic Development Committee.
Top issue: The most fundamental issue is freedom in its broadest sense, meaning the freedom to make our own health care decisions without interference from politicians, the freedom to assure our children a quality public education no matter where they live, the freedom from fear of being taxed out of your home, the freedom to be who you are and love who you love. That obviously involves legislative efforts on myriad fronts, including economic, education, health care, civil and human rights.
Party: Republican
Age: 40
Town of residence: Grafton
Profession/experience in elected office:Software developer, running for his third term in the House
Top issue: School choice; I will support legislation that provides more education opportunities to students by expanding the Education Freedom Account program.
Party: Democrat
Age: 43
Town of residence: Hanover
Profession/experience in elected office:an attorney and member of the House Finance Committee, Division 2, and the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules
Top issue: … Reproductive freedom. … If NH truly wants a fully robust economy, then all people must have ability to control how and when they have their own children.
… In 2023, I co-sponsored HB88 relative to reproductive rights, which would have created an affirmative right to an abortion up to the existing 24-week abortion ban. Ultimately, that legislation was unsuccessful during the GOP-controlled term. In 2024, I co-sponsored HCR11 condemning medically unnecessary restrictions on medication abortions and SB567 directing the commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services to compile a report on the availability of mifepristone and misoprostol. While the former resolution was successful, the latter legislation was not.
… If I am re-elected, my co-sponsors and I plan to continue to fight for legislation to codify the affirmative right to abortion care up to 24-weeks, to protect individuals from government intrusion into one’s own private decision-making on how and when to start a family, and to aim for broad reproductive freedom for all Granite Staters.
Party: Democrat
Age: 58
Town of residence: Hanover
Profession/experience in elected office: Teacher who has been serving as a state representative from Hanover and Lyme since 2020.
Top issue: Protecting voting rights — especially against efforts to accessing ballots more difficult and the process of collecting and counting ballots less reliable, efforts often spearheaded by advocates of the “stolen election” conspiracy. Democracy actually does depend on defeating these efforts to make voting more difficult and deprive especially younger, older and poorer citizens from exercising their right to vote.
Party: Democrat
Town of residence: Hanover
Profession/experience in elected office:Did not respond.
Top issue: Did not respond.
Party: Democrat
Age: 58
Town of residence: Hanover
Profession/experience in elected office: Careers in the Investment, financial services, real estate and environment. Have not held elected office.
Top issue: Some key points in 2025 will be upholding reproductive rights and championing public education. Much will depend on the outcome of the general election for our ability to implement important legislation to protect and preserve these vital issues.
Party: Democrat
Age: 74
Town of residence: West Lebanon
Profession/experience in elected office: Assistant provost, emerita, Dartmouth College. Member of NH House since 2018. Currently ranking member, Municipal and County Government Committee.
Top issue: Housing affordability in NH. I filed two bills for the 2025-2026 term… coined as the “Partners in Housing” and “Housing Action Act” (they) offer incentives to developers who build starter homes, duplexes or small apartment buildings on municipally owned land. These bills lower the developer’s costs in three crucial ways: by reducing the cost of purchasing land, providing low-interest construction loans, and expediting Planning Board review. At a time when the cost of land, lengthy permitting processes and high interest rates make it impossible for modestly priced homes to “pencil out,” these bills offer developers and municipalities new ways to work together to address a key driver of New Hampshire’s housing shortage.
Party: Democrat
Age: 73
Town of residence: Lebanon
Profession/experience in elected office: City Council member, past chairman or ranking member of the House Transportation Committee
Top issue: Make driving privileges more readily accessible to the residents of New Hampshire. Working with the DMV to introduce legislation addressing technology, enforcement, education and qualifications.
Party: Democrat
Age: 68
Town of residence: Lebanon
Profession/experience in elected office: Emeritus professor of computer science, Dartmouth College; completing first term in NH House; member of Science, Technology and Energy Committee
Top issue: We want energy that is renewable, reliable, and reasonably priced. Right now, we can have any two. I am working to get us to all three for a clean energy future. I work to increase renewable energy sources, to promote energy storage, to expand electric vehicle charging, and to enable Community Power to serve more ratepayers at lower cost.
Party: Democrat
Age: Did not provide
Town of residence: Enfield
Profession/experience in elected office: About 20 years experience on land use boards in Vermont and New Hampshire
Top issue: The shortage and unaffordability of housing at all levels and for all demographic segments since it affects the economic and social well-being of the entire region.
My focus over the next two years will be to address the housing shortage from a number of short and long-term perspectives. Developing a diverse housing stock will require a myriad of approaches including:
â expanding water and sewer infrastructure,
â bringing more people into the building trades,
â offering financial and density incentives to bring down costs for developers, owners and renters,
â developing more efficient building methods
â revising zoning regulations to allow for more housing,
â All of the above and more while maintaining the rural character of northern New England which we all cherish and do not want to lose.
Party: Democrat
Age: 78 (I’d like to retire but am woven into the legislative fabric; may manage to extricate myself in two more terms if lucky)
Town of residence: Lebanon
Profession/experience in elected office: 28 years in the NH House, on Ways and Means 12 terms, chair four terms; prior existence as socio-economist working in small-farmer development in Africa and Latin America
Top issue: Rescind the tax cuts for wealthy taxpayers (in NH and with business in NH) before the Republicans started to cut. Without this happening this next term, we face a major revenue problem, as the federal stimulus money will have almost all disappeared, we face major lawsuit costs, and our revenues are already showing signs of shrinkage. But to do so we need the cooperation of House, Senate and governor.
And we need to increase the exemption levels in some of those taxes according to inflation since the last increases, to avoid taxing the smaller businesses and low-moderate income households that cannot afford to pay. Our constitution requires that every citizen provide their share of the common burden of government, but modifies it by allowing exemptions for those who through taxation would become a burden on society.
Party: Democrat
Age: 79
Town of residence: Bridgewater
Profession/experience in elected office: Professor Emerita of Anthropology, Rhode Island College, Providence, R.I., retired in 2011. Second time running for State Representative District 18, Floterial.
Top issue: “Our threatened democracy,” Fleuhr-Lobban wrote in an email. “I will work to protect public education in NH that is threatened by the voucher program that diverts much needed funds from our public schools. Public Schools are the foundation of our democracy.”
Party: Republican
Age: 50
Town of residence: Orange
Profession/experience in elected office: Employed as an information security expert. Serves on Orange’s planning board and budget committee.
Top issue: Cost of living. “The rising cost of living is the most urgent issue for families and retirees across our state,” McFarlane wrote in an email, adding that residents are struggling to afford necessities including housing, food and utility costs. “We need policies that tackle inflation, lower energy prices, and increase affordable housing options without burdening taxpayers or driving businesses away.” He added that he would commit to “holding the line on taxes,” and would not approve any new income or sales taxes.
“I’ll also push for energy policies that reduce costs, not just shift burdens onto working families. And I’ll oppose illegal hiring practices that depress wages and drive up housing costs, ensuring a fair economy for everyone,” McFarlane wrote.