New Hampshire House of Representatives elections, 2020
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| 2020 New Hampshire House Elections | |
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| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | September 8, 2020 |
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Republicans won control of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in the 2020 elections. Heading into the 2020 elections, Democrats had a 230-156 majority, with one Libertarian House member and 13 vacant seats. All 400 seats were up in 2020. Republicans gained a net 57 seats and Democrats lost a net 43 seats, leaving Republicans with a 213-187 majority. A 267-seat majority is required to override a governor's veto in New Hampshire.
As of 2020, the 400 members represented 204 districts—105 single-member districts and 99 multi-member districts that had between two and 11 members. Ballotpedia identified 110 of the districts, representing 249 seats, as battlegrounds.
- Click here to see all of the general election matchups
- Click here to read more about the battleground races
Forty-seven of the battleground races were in single-member districts, with 27 held by Democrats and 20 held by Republicans. Sixty-three of the battleground races were in multi-member districts, with 24 held solely by Democrats, 19 held solely by Republicans, and 20 split between the parties.
Heading into the election, New Hampshire had been under a divided government since 2018, when Democrats flipped the state Senate and House. Before 2018, New Hampshire had been governed by a Republican trifecta since 2017, when Gov. Chris Sununu (R) was elected. The last Democratic trifecta in New Hampshire formed after the 2006 elections and lasted until 2010.
Heading into the 2020 elections, Republicans held a majority in more chambers than Democrats. There was a Republican majority in 59 chambers and a Democratic majority in 39 chambers. In the Alaska House, there was a power-sharing agreement between the parties as part of a coalition.
New Hampshire's 2020 gubernatorial and state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In New Hampshire, the state legislature is responsible for drafting both congressional and state legislative district plans. District plans are subject to gubernatorial veto.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
New Hampshire modified its absentee/mail-in voting and candidate filing procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:
- Absentee/mail-in voting: Any voter could request an absentee ballot based on concerns related to COVID-19. Voters could submit one absentee ballot application for both the primary and general elections.
- Candidate filing procedures: The nomination petition signature requirements for the Libertarian Party's candidates in New Hampshire's general election was reduced by 35 percent.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control
| New Hampshire House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 230 | 187 | |
| Republican Party | 156 | 213 | |
| Libertarian Party | 1 | 0 | |
| Vacancy | 13 | 0 | |
| Total | 400 | 400 | |
Districts
Use the interactive map below to find your district.
Candidates
General election candidates
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate ConnectionPrimary candidates
The candidate list below is based on an official list provided by the New Hampshire Secretary of State website as of June 16, 2020. The filing deadline for the September primary was on June 12, 2020.[1]
2020 battleground chamber
The New Hampshire House of Representatives was among 24 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2020 cycle. Click here for more information on state legislative battlegrounds.
What was at stake?
- Republicans needed to gain 36 seats to take control of the chamber in 2020.
- Heading into the 2020 elections, New Hampshire was under divided government with neither party holding a trifecta. Democrats controlled both chambers of the state legislature while Republicans controlled the governorship. All three trifecta components were up for election in 2020. Both parties had a chance to gain a trifecta by winning all three components.
Why was it a battleground?
- Seats needed to flip: Republicans needed to flip 34 of the 400 seats up (9%) in order to win a majority.
- Seats decided by 10% or less in 2018: In the 2018 elections, control of 302 seats (76% of the chamber) was decided by a margin of 10% or smaller.
- Seats flipped in 2018: In the 2018 elections, 71 seats (18% of the chamber) changed partisan control.
- More seats flipped in 2018 than needed to change control in 2020: More seats flipped in 2018 (71) than would need to flip to change control of the chamber in 2020 (34).
- 2018 battleground chamber: In 2018, the New Hampshire House of Representatives was a battleground chamber. That year, Democrats gained 62 seats from Republicans and one from a Libertarian, winning control of the chamber. Republicans gained six seats from Democrats and two from Libertarians. Click here to read more about the 2018 elections.
- Other 2020 battleground election: The 2020 election for governor of New Hampshire was a battleground race. Click here for more on the 2020 gubernatorial election.
- History of recent flips: Control of the New Hampshire House of Representatives flipped four times between 2010 and 2020. Republicans gained a majority in 2010, followed by Democrats in 2012, Republicans again in 2014, and Democrats again in 2018.
- Race ratings: The Cook Political Report rated the New Hampshire House of Representatives a leans Democratic chamber in 2020, meaning that both parties had a good chance at winning control of the chamber but that Democrats were slightly favored to retain control.[2]
Battleground races
Going into the 2020 election, Ballotpedia identified 110 battleground races in the New Hampshire State House, representing 249 seats. Forty-seven of those seats were in single-member districts and 202 were in multi-member districts. Based on analysis of these districts' electoral histories, these races had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to shifts in the chamber's partisan balance.
Single-member districts
Heading into the 2020 elections, the partisan breakdown for the 47 New Hampshire House single-member district battlegrounds was:
27 seats
20 seats
To determine state legislative battleground races in 2020, Ballotpedia looked for races that fit one or more of the four factors listed below:
- In the last state legislative election, the winner received less than 55% of the vote.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the most recent state legislative election winner won by a margin of 10 percentage points or less.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the incumbent is not on the ballot this year.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and that presidential candidate won the district by a margin of 20 percentage points or more.
| 2020 New Hampshire House single-member battlegrounds | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Democrat
|
Republican
|
2018 margin of victory | 2016 presidential result | Incumbent running? | Conditions met |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Belknap 1 | Robert Joseph Jr. | Tom Ploszaj | R+7.9 | R+10.9 | No | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Belknap 9 | Charlie St. Clair (i) | Travis O'Hara | D+0.4 | R+16.4 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Carroll 1 | Anita Burroughs (i) | Ray Gilmore (R) | D+8.8 | D+22.2 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 14 | Andrew Maneval (D) | Matthew Santonastaso (R) | D+1.7 | R+2.2 | No | 1,2,3 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Coos 2 | Christopher Roberge (D) | Arnold Davis (R) | D+97.6 | R+17.7 | No | 3 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Coos 4 | Evalyn Merrick | Kevin Craig (i) | R+0.3 | R+13.1 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Coos 7 | Gregor Stocks (D) | Troy Merner (i) | R+6 | R+12.6 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 11 | Timothy Josephson (i) | Beth Folsom (R) | D+5.8 | R+5.6 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 14 | Elaine French (i) | Matthew Simon (R) | D+7.4 | D+0.9 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 15 | Ed Rajsteter (D) | David W. Binford (R) | D+10.1 | R+8.3 | No | 2,3 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 16 | Francesca Diggs (i) | Jeffrey Greeson (R) | D+4.6 | R+4.5 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 17 | Joshua Adjutant (i) | Kendall Hughes (R) | D+5.2 | R+3.5 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 5 | Jerry Stringham (i) | Bonnie Ham (R) | D+0.9 | D+7.3 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 6 | Kevin Maes (i) | Gail Sanborn (R) | D+3.5 | R+3.5 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 7 | Richard Osborne (i) | Mark Alliegro (R) | D+4.8 | D+1.1 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 39 | Gary Evans (D) | John Burt (i) | R+8.8 | R+14.6 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 40 | Ben Ming (D) | Keith Ammon (R) | D+4.3 | R+0.9 | No | 1,2,3 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 41 | Lisa Nash (D) | Laurie Sanborn (i) | R+0.8 | R+2.2 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Merrimack 1 | Ken Wells (i) | Louise Andrus (R) | D+1.9 | R+10.6 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Merrimack 22 | David A. Coolidge (D) | Matthew Pitaro (R) | D+7.2 | R+15 | No | 1,2,3 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Merrimack 25 | Faith Minton (D) | Natalie Wells (R) | D+2.9 | R+5.6 | No | 1,2,3 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Merrimack 26 | Lorrie Carey (D) | Howard Pearl (i) | R+3 | R+12.9 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Merrimack 4 | Tom Schamberg (i) | Victor Prieto (R) | D+7.3 | D+9.6 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Merrimack 7 | Clyde Carson (i) | Margaret Kennedy (R) | D+9.2 | R+0.6 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Merrimack 8 | Caroletta Alicea (D) | Robert Forsythe (i) (unofficially withdrew) | R+0.5 | R+5.2 | No | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Rockingham 1 | Tom Chase (D) | Paul Tudor (R) | D+0.9 | R+12.7 | No | 1,2,3 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Rockingham 11 | Liz McConnell (i) | Melissa Litchfield (R) | D+4.8 | R+4.8 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Rockingham 15 | Robert Bartlett (D) | Charles Melvin Sr. (i) | R+4.8 | R+22.2 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Rockingham 16 | Peter Oldak (D) | J D Bernardy (R) | R+2 | R+9.1 | No | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Rockingham 22 | Jim Maggiore (i) | Kristen Larsen (R) | D+6.6 | D+3.6 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Rockingham 32 | Hal Rafter (D) | Terry Roy (i) | R+8.6 | R+15.3 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Rockingham 33 | Eric Turer (D) | Josh Yokela (i) | R+8.3 | R+18.8 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Rockingham 37 | E. Elaine Andrews-Ahearn | Max Abramson (i) | R+1.2 | R+7.1 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 11 | Chuck Grassie (i) | Jonathan Clement (R) | D+5 | R+6 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 12 | Anni DeVito (D) | Mac Kittredge (i) | R+1.1 | R+13.9 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 22 | Peg Higgins (i) | Thomas Kaczynski Jr. (R) | D+6.3 | R+8.4 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 23 | Sandra Keans (i) | Fenton Groen (R) | D+2.5 | R+11.9 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 24 | Jeremiah Minihan | Susan DeLemus (R) | R+4.7 | R+10.1 | No | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 7 | Tom Ransom (D) | Clifford Newton (R) | D+7.7 | R+12.8 | No | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 8 | Donna Ellis (i) | Kalmen Barkin (R) | D+7.6 | R+3 | Yes | 1,2 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 9 | Timothy Fontneau (i) | Harrison deBree (R) | R+9.8 | R+10 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Sullivan 11 | Mary Henry (D) | Steven Smith (i) | R+9.4 | R+11 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Sullivan 2 | Sue Gottling (D) | Don Bettencourt (R) | R+5.6 | R+10.4 | No | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Sullivan 5 | Liza Draper (D) | Walter Stapleton (i) | R+2.1 | R+4.7 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Sullivan 7 | Claudia Istel (D) | Judy Aron (i) | R+6.3 | R+16.1 | Yes | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Sullivan 8 | John Streeter (D) | Walter Spilsbury (R) | R+0.4 | R+5.1 | No | 1 |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives Sullivan 9 | Linda Tanner (i) | Margaret Drye (R) | D+6.5 | D+1.1 | Yes | 1 |
Multi-member districts
Heading into the 2020 elections, the partisan breakdown for the 63 New Hampshire House multi-member battlegrounds was:
24 districts
19 districts
20 districts split between the parties
To determine state legislative battleground races in 2020, Ballotpedia looked for races that fit one or more of the five factors listed below:
- Two candidates from different parties won the district in the last state legislative election.
- A losing candidate came within five percentage points of a winning candidate from the opposite party in the last state legislative election.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than at least one of the most recent state legislative election winners in the district, and the most recent state legislative election had a margin of less than 10 percentage points between the bottom-placed winning candidate and the top-placed losing candidate.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than at least one of the most recent state legislative election winners in the district, and at least one incumbent will not be on the ballot this year.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than at least one of the most recent state legislative election winners in the district, and that presidential candidate won the district by a margin of 20 percentage points or more.
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in the general election
Thirty-three incumbents lost in the Nov. 3 general election. Those incumbents were:
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
Ten incumbents lost in the Sept. 8 primaries. Those incumbents were:
Retiring incumbents
Seventy-seven incumbents were not on the ballot in 2020.[3] Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Viens |  Republican |
House District Belknap 1 | Retired |
| Richard Beaudoin | Republican |
House District Belknap 3 | Retired |
| Peter Spanos | Republican |
House District Belknap 3 | Retired |
| Franklin Tilton | Republican |
House District Belknap 3 | Retired |
| Dennis Fields | Republican |
House District Belknap 4 | Retired |
| George Feeney | Republican |
House District Belknap 5 | Retired |
| Harrison Kanzler |  Democratic |
House District Carroll 2 | Retired |
| Ed Comeau | Republican |
House District Carroll 5 | Retired |
| Edith DesMarais | Democratic |
House District Carroll 6 | Retired |
| Ed Butler | Democratic |
House District Carroll 7 | Retired |
| David Morrill | Democratic |
House District Cheshire 4 | Vacated before term end |
| David Meader | Democratic |
House District Cheshire 6 | Retired |
| Sandy Swinburne | Democratic |
House District Cheshire 10 | Retired |
| John O'Day | Republican |
House District Cheshire 11 | Retired |
| Craig Thompson | Democratic |
House District Cheshire 14 | Filed for different office |
| John Fothergill | Republican |
House District Coos 1 | Retired |
| Michael E. Furbush | Republican |
House District Coos 1 | Retired |
| Wayne Moynihan | Democratic |
House District Coos 2 | Retired |
| Yvonne Thomas | Democratic |
House District Coos 3 | Retired |
| Erin Hennessey | Republican |
House District Grafton 1 | Filed for different office |
| Susan Ford | Democratic |
House District Grafton 3 | Filed for different office |
| Vincent Migliore | Republican |
House District Grafton 9 | Death |
| Garrett Muscatel | Democratic |
House District Grafton 12 | Vacated before term end |
| Polly Campion | Democratic |
House District Grafton 12 | Retired |
| Mary Jane Mulligan | Democratic |
House District Grafton 12 | Retired |
| J.P. Marzullo | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 2 | Withdrew |
| Cole Riel | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 6 | Retired |
| Linda Camarota | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 7 | Retired |
| Michael Trento | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 7 | Vacated before term end |
| Kathy Desjardin | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 13 | Retired |
| Bob Backus | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 19 | Retired |
| Dick Barry | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 21 | Retired |
| Bob L'Heureux | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 21 | Retired |
| Reed Panasiti | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 22 | Retired |
| Julie Radhakrishnan | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 22 | Retired |
| Paul Dargie | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 23 | Retired |
| Charlie Burns | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 23 | Retired |
| Joelle Martin | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 23 | Retired |
| Tim Merlino | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 25 | Retired |
| Brett Hall | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 26 | Retired |
| Jack Flanagan | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 26 | Retired |
| Michelle St. John | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 27 | Retired |
| Jim Belanger | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 27 | Vacated before term end |
| Greg Indruk | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 34 | Retired |
| James Whittemore | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 37 | Retired |
| Chris Balch | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 38 | Retired |
| Richard Komi | Democratic |
House District Hillsborough 43 | Vacated before term end |
| Mark Proulx | Republican |
House District Hillsborough 44 | Retired |
| Werner Horn | Republican |
House District Merrimack 2 | Retired |
| Beth Rodd | Democratic |
House District Merrimack 6 | Retired |
| George Saunderson | Democratic |
House District Merrimack 9 | Retired |
| Howard Moffett | Democratic |
House District Merrimack 9 | Retired |
| Ryan Buchanan | Democratic |
House District Merrimack 15 | Retired |
| Alan Turcotte | Democratic |
House District Merrimack 22 | Retired |
| Frank Kotowski | Republican |
House District Merrimack 24 | Retired |
| David Karrick | Democratic |
House District Merrimack 25 | Retired |
| David Coursin | Democratic |
House District Rockingham 1 | Retired |
| Kathleen Hoelzel | Republican |
House District Rockingham 3 | Retired |
| Michael Costable Jr. | Republican |
House District Rockingham 3 | Retired |
| Becky Owens | Republican |
House District Rockingham 4 | Retired |
| Brian Chirichiello | Republican |
House District Rockingham 6 | Retired |
| James Webb | Republican |
House District Rockingham 6 | Retired |
| John O'Connor | Republican |
House District Rockingham 6 | Retired |
| Joel Desilets | Republican |
House District Rockingham 7 | Retired |
| Arthur Barnes III | Republican |
House District Rockingham 8 | Retired |
| Ed DeClercq | Republican |
House District Rockingham 8 | Retired |
| Dan Davis | Republican |
House District Rockingham 16 | Retired |
| Skip Berrien | Democratic |
House District Rockingham 18 | Retired |
| Patricia Bushway | Democratic |
House District Rockingham 21 | Retired |
| Tamara Le | Democratic |
House District Rockingham 31 | Retired |
| Patricia Lovejoy | Democratic |
House District Rockingham 36 | Filed for different office |
| Steven Beaudoin | Republican |
House District Strafford 9 | Retired |
| Jody McNally | Republican |
House District Strafford 10 | Vacated before term end |
| Linn Opderbecke | Democratic |
House District Strafford 15 | Retired |
| Mona Perreault | Republican |
House District Strafford 24 | Retired |
| Gates Lucas | Republican |
House District Sullivan 2 | Retired |
| Thomas Laware | Republican |
House District Sullivan 8 | Retired |
The 78 retirements in 2020 represented the lowest such number within the preceding decade. The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.
| Open Seats in New Hampshire House of Representatives elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 400 | 78 (20 percent) | 322 (80 percent) |
| 2018 | 400 | 103 (26 percent) | 297 (74 percent) |
| 2016 | 400 | 103 (26 percent) | 297 (74 percent) |
| 2014 | 400 | 93 (23 percent) | 307 (77 percent) |
| 2012 | 400 | 118 (30 percent) | 282 (70 percent) |
| 2010 | 400 | 93 (23 percent) | 307 (77 percent) |
Redistricting in New Hampshire
- See also: Redistricting in New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the state legislature. These lines are subject to veto by the governor.[4]
State law requires that state legislative districts "be contiguous, and maintain the boundaries of towns, wards, or unincorporated places." There are no such requirements in place for congressional districts.[4]
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: New Hampshire Revised Statutes, Chapter 655: Nominations
For party candidates
A recognized political party candidate seeking placement on the primary election ballot must file a declaration of candidacy. On this declaration, the candidate must affirm that he or she is both a registered voter and a registered member of the party whose nomination he or she is pursuing.[5]
In addition to filing the declaration of candidacy, the candidate must do one of the following.[6]
1.) Pay an administrative assessment fee. Fees are established by state law and vary according to the office being sought.[6][7]
| Administrative assessment fees | |
|---|---|
| Office | Fee |
| Governor, United States Senator | $100 |
| United States Representative | $50 |
| Executive Councilor | $25 |
| State Senator | $10 |
| State Representative | $2 |
2.) File primary petitions. The number of required petition papers (each of which contains one signature) is established by state law and varies according to the office being sought.[6][7]
| Primary petitions | |
|---|---|
| Office | Number of petitions |
| Governor, United States Senator | 200 |
| United States Representative | 100 |
| Executive Councilor | 50 |
| State Senator | 20 |
| State Representative | 5 |
A written "assent to candidacy" must accompany the submitted primary petitions.[6][8]
A candidate for state-level office must also file a financial disclosure form.[9]
Filing paperwork for most offices is submitted to the New Hampshire Secretary of State. Filing paperwork for state House candidates is submitted to the town or city clerk of the municipality where the candidate resides. Filings must be made between the first Wednesday in June and the Friday of the following week.[6][10]
For nonparty candidates
A candidate seeking placement on the general election ballot must file a declaration of intent. The declaration of intent must be filed between the first Wednesday in June and the Friday of the following week.[11][12]
In addition to filing this declaration, the candidate must do one of the following.[6]
1.) Pay an administrative assessment fee. Fees are established by state law and vary according to the office being sought.[6]
| Administrative assessment fees | |
|---|---|
| Office | Fee |
| Governor, United States Senator | $100 |
| United States Representative | $50 |
| Executive Councilor | $25 |
| State Senator | $10 |
| State Representative | $2 |
2.) File nomination papers. Nomination papers must include the name and residence of the candidate, the office being sought, and the political organization or principles the candidate represents. The number of required nomination papers (each of which contains one signature) is established by state law and varies according to the office being sought.[6][13]
| Nomination papers | |
|---|---|
| Office | Number of papers |
| Governor, United States Senator | 3,000** |
| United States Representative | 1,500 |
| Executive Councilor | 750 |
| State Senator | 750 |
| State Representative | 150 |
| ** Of the 3,000 required signatures/papers, 1,500 must be collected from each of the state's two congressional districts. | |
A candidate for state-level office must also file a financial disclosure form.[9]
Prior to final filing, nomination papers must be submitted for certification to the Supervisors of the Checklist in each town or city where signatures were collected. Nomination papers must be submitted for certification by 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday five weeks before the primary. Nomination papers are ultimately due to the New Hampshire Secretary of State by 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday before the primary.[6]
For write-in candidates
A write-in candidate does not need to file any special forms in order to have his or her votes tallied. In the event that a write-in candidate wins the nomination of a party at a primary election, he or she is required to file a declaration of candidacy with the New Hampshire Secretary of State no later than the first Monday following the primary election. Also, a write-in candidate must have received at least 35 votes in order to be considered the winner of a primary election.[14]
2020 ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for New Hampshire House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
| Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives | Qualified party | N/A | $2.00 | 6/12/2020 | Source |
| New Hampshire House of Representatives | Unaffiliated | 150 | $2.00 | 6/12/2020 | Source |
Qualifications
Article 14 of Part 2 of the New Hampshire Constitution states, "Every member of the house of representatives shall be chosen by ballot; and, for two years, at least, next preceding his election shall have been an inhabitant of this state; shall be, at the time of his election, an inhabitant of the town, ward, place, or district he may be chosen to represent and shall cease to represent such town, ward, place, or district immediately on his ceasing to be qualified as aforesaid."
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[15] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $100/year | No per diem is paid. |
When sworn in
New Hampshire legislators assume office on the first Wednesday of December following the general election.[16]
2020 battleground chamber
The New Hampshire House of Representatives was among 24 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2020 cycle. Click here for more information on state legislative battlegrounds.
What was at stake?
- Republicans needed to gain 36 seats to take control of the chamber in 2020.
- Heading into the 2020 elections, New Hampshire was under divided government with neither party holding a trifecta. Democrats controlled both chambers of the state legislature while Republicans controlled the governorship. All three trifecta components were up for election in 2020. Both parties had a chance to gain a trifecta by winning all three components.
Why was it a battleground?
- Seats needed to flip: Republicans needed to flip 34 of the 400 seats up (9%) in order to win a majority.
- Seats decided by 10% or less in 2018: In the 2018 elections, control of 302 seats (76% of the chamber) was decided by a margin of 10% or smaller.
- Seats flipped in 2018: In the 2018 elections, 71 seats (18% of the chamber) changed partisan control.
- More seats flipped in 2018 than needed to change control in 2020: More seats flipped in 2018 (71) than would need to flip to change control of the chamber in 2020 (34).
- 2018 battleground chamber: In 2018, the New Hampshire House of Representatives was a battleground chamber. That year, Democrats gained 62 seats from Republicans and one from a Libertarian, winning control of the chamber. Republicans gained six seats from Democrats and two from Libertarians. Click here to read more about the 2018 elections.
- Other 2020 battleground election: The 2020 election for governor of New Hampshire was a battleground race. Click here for more on the 2020 gubernatorial election.
- History of recent flips: Control of the New Hampshire House of Representatives flipped four times between 2010 and 2020. Republicans gained a majority in 2010, followed by Democrats in 2012, Republicans again in 2014, and Democrats again in 2018.
- Race ratings: The Cook Political Report rated the New Hampshire House of Representatives a leans Democratic chamber in 2020, meaning that both parties had a good chance at winning control of the chamber but that Democrats were slightly favored to retain control.[17]
New Hampshire political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
New Hampshire Party Control: 1992-2025
Four years of Democratic trifectas • Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
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Presidential politics in New Hampshire
2016 Presidential election results
| U.S. presidential election, New Hampshire, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic |  Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine |
46.8% | 348,526 | 4 | |
| Republican | Donald Trump/Mike Pence | 46.5% | 345,790 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 4.1% | 30,777 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 0.9% | 6,496 | 0 | |
| American Delta | Roque De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg | 0.1% | 678 | 0 | |
| - | Write-in votes | 1.6% | 12,029 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 744,296 | 4 | |||
| Election results via: New Hampshire Secretary of State | |||||
Note: Write-in votes from New Hampshire can be found here.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New Hampshire uses a semi-closed primary system. Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary, but in order to do so, they have to choose a party before voting. This changes their status from unaffiliated to affiliated with that party unless they fill out a card to return to undeclared status.[18][19][20]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In New Hampshire, polling place hours of operation vary. According to state law, polling places must be open between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Localities may set their own polling hours as long as they are open during those hours prescribed by state law.[21] To search for the hours your polling place is open, click here.
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in New Hampshire, each applicant must provide documentary proof of United States citizenship, be a resident of New Hampshire, and at least 18 years old by the next election. Individuals may register to vote at the local clerk's office, with the community's supervisors of the checklist or registrar of voters, or at the polling place on the day of the election. Applicants must fill out a voter registration form and either show proof of identity and citizenship or sign an affidavit witnessed by an election official.[22][23] Absentee registration is allowed for those who are “unable to register in person because of physical disability, religious beliefs, military service, or because of temporary absence.” Absentee registration requires mailing a voter registration form and witnessed absentee voter registration affidavit to the local clerk.[22]
Automatic registration
New Hampshire does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
New Hampshire does not permit online voter registration.
Same-day registration
New Hampshire allows same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
In New Hampshire, citizens can register to vote the day they move to the state.[22]
Verification of citizenship
New Hampshire requires voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote, as of June 2025. Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed HB 1569 into law on September 17, 2024. The legislation required voter registration applicants to provide one of the following at the time of registration: "birth certificate, passport, naturalization papers if the applicant is a naturalized citizen, or any other reasonable documentation which indicates the applicant is a United States citizen."[24]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[25] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voter ID requirements
New Hampshire requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[26]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the New Hampshire Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
| “ |
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Additionally, a moderator or other election official may verify the voter’s identity.[26]
A voter may obtain a free photo ID for voting purposes by presenting a voucher from their local clerk or the New Hampshire Secretary of State to any New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles office that issues identification.[26]
Early voting
New Hampshire does not permit early voting.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
A voter is eligible to vote absentee in an election if he or she cannot make it to the polls on Election Day for one of the following reasons:[28]
- The voter will be absent from his or her polling location on the day of the election.
- The voter is unable to visit the polls because of the observance of a religious commitment.
- The voter is unable to visit the polls because of a physical disability.
- The voter is unable to visit the polls because of an employment obligation.
- The voter is unable to visit the polls due to military service.
There is no specific deadline to apply for an absentee ballot. The completed ballot must be returned either in person by 5:00 p.m. the day before the election or by mail. If returned by mail, the ballot must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Election Day. A voter must include a photocopy of a valid photo identification or a notarized signature with the absentee ballot application. Voters may also present photo identification at a town clerk’s office to request an absentee ballot.[28]
Voter guides
2020 State Cannabis Voter Guides
See also
- New Hampshire House of Representatives
- New Hampshire State Legislature
- State legislative elections, 2020
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New Hampshire Secretary of State, "See Who's Filed," accessed June 16, 2020
- ↑ The Cook Political Report, "July Update: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races," July 22, 2020
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 All About Redistricting, "New Hampshire," accessed May 5, 2015
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes, "Title LXIII, Section 655:17," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 New Hampshire Secretary of State, "New Hampshire - Filing Period," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 New Hampshire Revised Statutes, "Title LXIII, Section 655:19-c," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes, "Title LXIII, Section 655:25," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 New Hampshire Secretary of State, "Election Forms," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes, "Title LXIII, Section 655:14," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes, "Title LXIII, Section 655:17-a," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes, "Title LXIII, Section 655:14-a," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes, "Title LXIII, Section 655:42," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes, "Title LXIII, Section 659:88," accessed May 29, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ New Hampshire Constitution, "Part II, Article 3," accessed February 10, 2021
- ↑ The Cook Political Report, "July Update: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races," July 22, 2020
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ New Hampshire Secretary of State,"Voting in Party Primaries," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes - Title 63, Chapter 659.4," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 New Hampshire Secretary of State, “How to Register to Vote,” accessed June 25, 2024
- ↑ New Hampshire Secretary of State, “Register to Vote,” accessed June 25, 2024
- ↑ General Court of New Hampshire, "CHAPTER 378 HB 1569-FN - FINAL VERSION," accessed November 14, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 State of New Hampshire, "Voter ID Law Explanatory Document," accessed October 7, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 New Hampshire Secretary of State, "Absentee Ballots," accessed September 29, 2025
