NASHUA, NH – Today Nashua will be selecting candidates for state and federal candidates to run in the general election this November.
Governor Chris Sununu and U.S. Representative Annie Kuster both have decided to not run for reelection making for open races for both seats.
The race for the governor’s seat is between former U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte and former NH Senate President Chuck Morse on the Republican side. Three Democrats are competing, former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, sitting executive Councilor Cinde Warmington, and businessman Jon Kiper.
The 2nd Congressional seat Kuster is leaving district includes Nashua. Former Biden Administration official Maggie Goodalnder and Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern are vying for the Democratic nomination. Thirteen Republicans are on the Republican ballot seeking their party nomination.
Two Democrats Nashua Alderman-at-Large Shoshana Kelly and former Stae Senator Melanie Levesque are competing to challenge incumbent Republican David Wheeler who has an uncontested primary for the Executive Council.
State Senate, State Representative, and multiple county races are also contested.
Polling at Nashua’s nine wards began at 6 a.m. and polls will close at 8 p.m.
UPDATES from the Wards (most recent posts at the top)
3:45 p.m. Ward 9 New Searles Elementary School
Moderator John Cathraw said Ward 9 had steady traffic with just a few same-day registrations. 1,091 of 6,154 registered voters in the ward had cast ballots They had 78 absentee ballots.
3:00 p.m. Ward 8 Bicentennial Elementary School
Ward moderator Jack Currier said they are coming “in dribs and drabs, slow but seedy traffic” They have had 924 votes cast.
2:30 p.m. Ward 2 Charlotte Avenue Elementary School
1,032 votes cast
2:00 p.m. Ward 5 Nashua High School South
1,007 votes cast
1:15 p.m. Ward 7 Dr. Norman Crisp Elementary School
Moderator Avalon Lewis says voting has been, “ steady but not busy.” He reports that they hit the 500-voter mark at 1 p.m.
12:30 p.m. Ward 3 Amherst Street Elementary School
Moderator Jared Holland things are proceeding “serenely”. 634 Ballots have been cast so far.
10:30 a.m. Ward 2 Charlotte Avenue Elementary School
Moderator Joe Patry reports that turnout is steady and about as expected. So far 433 voters have cast their ballots in Ward 2. During the presidential primary, about 2,500 total votes were cast here.
Former Manchester Mayor and Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Joyce Craig stopped by to greet voters and thank them for their support. When asked about her prospects for the day Joyce replied, “I feel really good, we have gone around the state for the last year and a half talking to folks and we had a great response and I am just grateful for the support we have received and we hope to have positive results tonight.”
For Nashua voters who may not be familiar with her, she offered, “I have worked for years with Mayor Jim Donchess here. We have partnered to do everything we could to bring commuter rail here, we worked together to address homelessness, and we have worked together to strengthen our public schools. We have a really good partnership here. We share a lot of the same challenges.”
Referring to the results of their collaboration she said, “ We also have worked together to bring biomanufacturing into our communities and today Manchester and Nashua are a tech hub. We have brought over 80 million dollars for a tech hub which means thousands and thousands of jobs to boost the local economy.”
9:30 a.m. Ward 4 – Ledge Street
Voting turnout is light with 188 voters so far in Ward 4 according to Moderator Arthur Craffey. Things are running smoothly. Coffey mentioned the need for volunteers and is hoping more Nashua residents get involved in the November election.
Nashua Democratic Party chairman and Alderman Derek Thibeault, Ward 4 Alderman Tom Lopez, and State Senator Cindy Rosenwald were greeting voters and supporting candidates.
“I am disappointed for the low turnout so far but I think it is going to be a good day for the candidates I like. I think Joyce Craig is going to win, I think Maggie Goodalnder is going to win. I do not know about the executive council race. That one is going to be a tough one that’s going to be a battle,” said Chairman Thibeault, who added, “It is a beautiful day for people to vote. Not a cloud in the sky. Come out and vote. There could not be a better day!”
Maggie Goodlander arrived to cast her vote and upon exiting the poll the Ink Link asked about voting for herself for the first time she said “It’s pretty cool!’
When asked about her prospects for the day she kept her game face on and replied, “We are working hard for every single vote, we are taking nothing for granted. We are running the old-school campaign we have always been running. It is a perfect day for democracy.”
7:30 a.m. Ward 1 – Broad Street – Bald Eagles circling overhead seemed like an auspicious start to the election day morning. Turnout is steady and the typically light volume of primaries.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte cast her vote and visited with supporters. Democratic District 2 Congressional candidate Maggie Goodlander and her mother, Betty Tampsosi, manned the line of sign holders and supporters.
