Manchester, New Hampshire sample ballot 2026

Beverly Cotton is retired after several decades working as an accounting supervisor and manager, per the Weare NH Democrats. She later served as associate vice president of student finance at a university and as a client partner at the college software company Ellucian, and holds an MBA and a graduate certificate in forensic accounting and fraud. She is the Democratic candidate for Hillsborough County Treasurer, a seat currently held by David G. Fredette. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026.

Maidment is a husband and father of four from Peterborough who raises livestock and has an interest in technology and artificial intelligence, per the campaign site. He is running for Hillsborough County Treasurer, per the campaign site.

Hogan is an attorney who has practiced law in Hillsborough County for two decades after graduating from UNH Law, per the campaign site. He previously served as a New Hampshire state legislator, Hillsborough County Delegate, Nashua Education Committee member, and Hillsborough County Attorney, per the campaign site.

John Stephen is the founder and managing partner of The Stephen Group, a management consulting firm, and previously served as Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services from 2003 to 2007, per Citizens Count. He holds a BA from the University of New Hampshire's Whittemore School of Business and Economics and a JD from Michigan State University School of Law. He has served on the Executive Council for District 4 since 2025.

Jim O'Connell co-founded Caradas, a cybersecurity consultancy serving Fortune 100 companies, and serves as Vice Chair of the Manchester school board, per his campaign site. Born and raised in Cobh, Ireland, he later lived in London, Australia and New Zealand before settling with his family in Manchester in 1997. He and his wife Kathy have raised four children in the city.

Chris Pappas is a Manchester native who ran his family's 109-year-old landmark restaurant business before Congress, per the campaign site. He served three terms on New Hampshire's Executive Council and has represented New Hampshire in the U.S. House since January 2019, per the chamber's membership roster.

• Voted no on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the 2025 tax-and-spending package, which passed the House 218-214 in July 2025. Opposed
• Voted yes on the Laken Riley Act, expanding federal detention of certain immigrants charged with theft or violent crimes, which passed the House 263-156 in January 2025. Supported
• Voted no on the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2026, which passed the House 231-196 in September 2025. Opposed
• Voted no on the November 2025 funding agreement that ended the government shutdown, which passed the House 222-209 in November 2025. Opposed
• Voted no on the September 2025 stopgap funding bill, which passed the House 217-212 in September 2025. Opposed
• Voted no on the March 2025 full-year stopgap funding bill, which passed the House 217-213 in March 2025. Opposed

Kelly Ayotte is New Hampshire's incumbent governor and the Republican nominee for re-election in 2026. A former U.S. senator and state attorney general, she took office in January 2025, and her campaign emphasizes keeping New Hampshire safe, prosperous, and free, with a focus on housing, schools, and protecting vulnerable citizens.

Cinde Warmington is the Democratic nominee for New Hampshire governor, an attorney and former executive councilor who was the only Democrat on the five-member Executive Council. Her campaign centers on the affordability crisis: bringing down costs, making health care more affordable, tackling housing, protecting public education, and repealing the state's private school voucher program.