There are currently three vacancies in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Today, one will be filled in a special general election in Rockingham County’s 1st District, while Hillsborough County’s 3rd District will hold a special primary. The balance of power in the chamber currently stands at 199 Republicans and 196 Democrats with 2 independents. Today’s race in Rockingham 1 could decide the balance of power. Democrats came just ten votes short of winning one of the district’s three seats last November. The two other vacant seats in Hillsborough 3 and Coos 6 have recently leaned Democratic.
Rockingham County’s 1st District covers the towns of Northwood and Nottingham. The seat is vacant after Republican Benjamin Bartlett resigned citing health concerns days before the Department of Veterans Affairs opened an investigation into a potential conflict regarding his employment with the agency. Only one Democrat, former Nottingham Selectman Hal Rafter, filed to run for the vacancy and thus was unopposed in the primary. Northwood Selectman Jim Guzofski won the August 1 Republican primary. Polls close at 7 p.m. (EDT). We will have the election results below once they do.
Hillsborough County’s 3rd District is in Nashua. The district has three seats in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, all won by Democrats last November. This is the second of those three seats to be vacated this year. The other was won by Democrat Marc Plamondon back on May 16. Today’s vacancy was caused by the resignation of Democratic Rep. David Cote citing health risks from not being able to participate in legislative activities remotely. Only one Democrat filed to run for the vacancy, leaving her unopposed in today’s primary. Republicans David Narkunas and Joost Baumeister will face off for the Republican nomination. Both have run for a seat in this district previously. Polls close at 8 p.m. (EDT). We will have the election results below once they do.