The Republican Party has unsurprisingly nominated Chris Sununu, who is seeking a third term as Governor.
New Hampshire would have an Independent Redistricting Commission if not for Sununu’s veto pen, despite the overwhelming support for creation of such a commission. Sununu and the Republican-led Legislature in 2017 adopted a pair of bills to make voting more difficult and possibly illegal for college students, homeless individuals, and others who may not have proper documentation to prove their domicile; and expanded the de facto voting requirement to “residency” despite the New Hampshire constitution stating that all inhabitants over 18 years of age have the right to vote.
Additionally New Hampshire remains an island of prohibition as it relates to recreational cannabis, thanks in part to Sununu’s threat of a veto on such legislation. In fact, Sununu only signed the legislation to partially decriminalize cannabis after the bill was amended to reduce the amount of cannabis someone could possess and to also retain misdemeanor penalties for more than three violation level convictions within a three-year period.
The Governor likewise vetoed legislation to allow patients in New Hampshire’s Therapeutic Cannabis Program the ability to grow their own cannabis.
Meanwhile the Democratic Party has selected Senator Dan Feltes as their nominee. Feltes, like many Democrats, supports stricter gun control laws which would violate due process, and raising the minimum wage; the latter of which will disproportionately have a negative impact on low-skill, low-income workers. However, a better way to help more low-income people access affordable housing would be to eliminate the municipal zoning and tax laws that disincentivize the construction of affordable housing.
This year, Granite Staters have the ability to vote for Libertarian, Darryl W. Perry, who supports equality of rights under the law for all, criminal justice reform, lower taxation, ballot access reform and voting rights.
Unlike the Presidential campaigns, where the dates and criteria for debates are known well in advance, we still don’t know if or when any gubernatorial debates will happen, nor do we know the criteria. It’s believed that WMUR, NHPR and the Mt. Washington Valley Economic Council will each host debates. I additionally urge the League of Women Voters and UNH School of Law to host gubernatorial debates that include the three candidates who will be on the ballot.
Voters this year have a choice that is not the lesser of two evils. I don't have the political and family connections of my Republican and Democratic Party opponents. Which makes your support even more important.
