2025–2026 New Hampshire state legislative special elections

2025–2026 New Hampshire state legislative special elections
2025–2026
1 seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives as of May 2025
201 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Won in 2024 222 178
Seats up 0 1
Seats won 0 1

As of July 3, 2025, two state legislative special elections are scheduled to be held in the U.S. state of New Hampshire during the 2025–2026 legislative session. Both elections are for the New Hampshire House of Representatives. At 400 members, the state house is the largest state legislative body in the United States, and the fourth largest lower house in the English-speaking world. As members are only paid $100 per year plus travel costs,[1] turnover tends to be frequent, as members resign or die mid-term, resulting in a special election to replace them. According to the Constitution of the State of New Hampshire, if there is a vacancy in the New Hampshire General Court, a special election must be called to fill the vacant seat within 21 days of receiving proof of a vacancy or a request that a vacancy be filled.[2] Nine special elections were called during the 2023–2024 session, five in 2023 and four in 2024.

Strafford 12

New Hampshire House District Strafford 12 special election
June 24, 2025
 
Candidate Billie Butler Ken Hilton
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 964 774
Percentage 55.47% 44.53%
Town results
Butler:      50–60%
Representative before election

Dawn Evans (elect)
Democratic

Elected Representative

Billie Butler
Democratic

Strafford 12 is a multi-member district in Strafford County that elects four representatives using plurality block voting. It contains the town of Rollinsford and all 5 wards from Somersworth.[3] The special election was made necessary after Democrat Dawn Evans did not assume office after being elected in 2024, as she had moved out of the district.[4] The special election was held on June 24, 2025, with a primary on May 6, 2025.[5] Democratic nominee Billie Butler won the special election.

Background

Voter party registration in the towns of Rollinsford and Somersworth as of May 5, 2025, per the office of the Secretary of State:
  1. Democratic (32.65%)
  2. Republican (26.5%)
  3. Undeclared (40.84%)

Of the 9,757 registered voters in Strafford 12, 3,186 (33%) are Democrats, 2,586 (27%) are Republicans, and 3,985 (41%) are unaffiliated. In the past two elections, it sent four Democrats to the state house. According to data from Dave's Redistricting, it voted for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris by 11.69 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.[6]

Recent results (2022–present)

Year Democrats Republicans Others Ref.
2024 Y Dawn Evans 4,110 14.33% Ken Hilton 3,446 12.02% [7]
Y Myles England 3,992 13.92% Jonathan Wilson 3,221 11.23%
Y John Joseph Stone 3,961 13.81% Padraic O'Hare 3,101 10.81%
Y Wayne Pearson 3,905 13.62% Will Milus 2,925 10.20%
Total Dem. 15,968 55.68% Total Rep. 12,693 44.26% 15 0.05%
2022 Y Kenneth Vincent (r) 3,153 14.76% Ken Hilton 2,470 11.56% [8]
Y Cecilia Rich (r) 3,095 14.49% Matthew Spencer 2,309 10.81%
Y Gerri Cannon (r) 3,043 14.24% Nick Boyle 2,245 10.51%
Y Jeffrey Rich 2,860 13.39% Steven McMahon 2,190 10.25%
Total Dem. 12,151 56.87% Total Rep. 9,214 43.13%

(r) = incumbent redistricted

Democratic nominee

Performing artist and gig worker Billie Butler went unopposed for the Democratic nomination, receiving 187 votes in the primary.[5]

Republican primary

Nominee

  • Ken Hilton, plumber and candidate for this district in 2024 and 2022[5]

Eliminated in primary

  • Nick Boyle, candidate for this district in 2022[5]

Results

2025 New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 12 special Republican primary[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ken Hilton 150 88.76%
Republican Nick Boyle 19 11.24%
Total votes 169 100.00%
Turnout 169 6.54%
Registered electors 2,586 (R)
Results by town[9]
Town Hilton Boyle Total
Rollinsford 39 84.78% 7 15.22% 46
Somersworth 111 90.24% 12 9.76% 123

General election

2025 New Hampshire House of Representatives Strafford 12 special election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Billie Butler 964 55.47%
Republican Ken Hilton 774 44.53%
Total votes 1,738 100.00%
Turnout 1,738 17.81%
Registered electors 9,757
Results by town[10]
Town Butler Hilton Total
Rollinsford 268 59.56% 182 40.44% 450
Somersworth 696 54.04% 592 45.96% 1,288

Coos 5

Coos 5 is a multimember district in Coös County, electing 2 members to the New Hampshire House of Representatives[11] it contains the city of Berlin, incumbent Brian Valerino resigned upon being appointed Warden of the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility,[12][13] The date of the special election is still to be determined.

References

  1. ^ Square, The Center (2019-11-20). "New Hampshire legislators make base annual salary of $100, lowest compensation in U.S." The Center Square. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  2. ^ "New Hampshire State Constitution - Section 661:8". General Court - State of New Hampshire. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  3. ^ "2022-2032 STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND REPUBLICAN DELEGATE DISTRICTS" (PDF). New Hampshire Secretary of State. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  4. ^ Dandurant, Karen (2 May 2025). "Somersworth special primary election for state rep. seat is May 6". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Strafford County District 12". New Hampshire Secretary of State. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  6. ^ "NH 2022 State House (Base) [Date Selector: Election: 2024 President]". Dave's Redistricting. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  7. ^ "2024 General Election Results". New Hampshire Secretary of State. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  8. ^ "2022 State Representative General Election Strafford 12 District". NHPR. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  9. ^ "New Hampshire State House Strafford 12 Republican Special Election Primary". Decision Desk HQ. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  10. ^ "New Hampshire State House Strafford 12 Special Election General". Decision Desk HQ. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  11. ^ "New Hampshire House of Representatives District Coos 5". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
  12. ^ "New Hampshire House accepts Brian Valerino's resignation after gubernatorial appointment". citizenportal.ai. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
  13. ^ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). gc.nh.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-06-20. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
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