Elections in New Hampshire

New Hampshire state elections

The U.S. state of New Hampshire holds its state general elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (better known as Election Day) in even-numbered years. As a result of this, general elections in New Hampshire systematically coincide with the biennial elections for the United States House of Representatives.

During general elections in New Hampshire, elections are held for the positions of Governor, Executive Councilor, state Senator, state Representative, Sheriff, County Attorney, County Treasurer, Register of Deeds, and Register of Probate. Officials elected to all nine of these offices are elected for a term of two years.

Election of County Commissioners also occurs during the state's general elections, but [http://www.sos.nh.gov/rsa653.htm rules for these elections vary by county] . In Strafford County, for example, three County Commissioners are elected to two-year terms at every general election. In Carroll County, by contrast, three County Commissioners are elected to rotating four-year terms.

New Hampshire's Governor is elected at large; Executive Councilors, state Senators, and state Representatives are elected by district; Sheriff, County Attorney, County Treasurer, Register of Deeds, and Register of Probate are elected by county; and County Commissioners are elected, again, by [http://www.sos.nh.gov/rsa653.htm rules that vary from county to county] .

New Hampshire currently has 400 seats in its House of Representatives, 24 seats in its Senate, and five seats on its Executive Council.

For more information about the structure of New Hampshire's state government,see Government of New Hampshire.

New Hampshire in national elections

New Hampshire is well-known in national politics for holding the first primary in the quadrennial U.S. presidential election cycle. This so-called New Hampshire primary is actually mandated by state law. New Hampshire [http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/LXIII/653/653-9.htm RSA 653:9] requires that the state's presidential primary elections be scheduled on the earlier of:

# the second Tuesday in March, or
# no less than seven (7) days prior to the holding of a "similar election" in any other state

Past and future elections

New Hampshire's last state general election was held on November 7, 2006. The [http://www.sos.nh.gov/general2006/index.htm results of this election] , including [http://www.sos.nh.gov/electwinwin.html a list of winners] , are available online. The state's last state primary election was held on September 12, 2006. The [http://www.sos.nh.gov/stateprimary2006/index.htm results of this election] are also available online.

New Hampshire's next state general election is scheduled to be held on November 4, 2008 and, as such, will coincide with the 2008 US Presidential Elections. The state's next state primary election will be held on September 9, 2008.

See also

* [http://www.sos.nh.gov/statutes.htm New Hampshire Election Law] at the [http://www.sos.nh.gov/ New Hampshire Secretary of State] 's Election Division's [http://www.sos.nh.gov/electionsnew.html official website]
*Government of New Hampshire
*Electoral reform in New Hampshire
*Elections in the United States
*New Hampshire primary
*New Hampshire primary, 2008