Rockingham County, New Hampshire

New Hampshire Executive Council District 4

Stephen and O'Connell are on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Rockingham County election filings.

About this race

John Stephen (Republican), Jim O'Connell (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for New Hampshire Executive Council District 4. Nominees are each party's top finishers in the September 8, 2026 state primary, per the Secretary of State's town-by-town results; the Secretary of State's September 17, 2026 general election candidate list confirms the printed field, including nomination-paper candidates.

What this office does

Executive councilor. New Hampshire's five-member Executive Council approves state contracts over a set dollar amount, confirms the governor's nominees for judgeships and agency heads, and approves pardons and the state's ten-year highway plan. It is a check on the governor built into the state constitution.

This race. The sitting officeholder, John Stephen, is on the ballot.

This list comes from official election records but may be incomplete. It can miss, for example, late or petition candidates and some city, school and district races. Your official sample ballot is the final word.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

New Hampshire › Rockingham County › New Hampshire Executive Council District 4

John Stephen

RepublicanIncumbent

Top priorities

From other published sources

Supports reducing business taxes and regulations to encourage economic development, per Citizens Count
Opposes broad-based income and sales taxes, per Citizens Count candidate profile
Supports school choice options including education freedom accounts, per Citizens Count

Biography

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.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Jim O'Connell

Democratic

Top priorities

From the campaign site

Supports protecting reproductive freedom
Supports public education funding and school infrastructure investment
Supports commuter rail and transportation infrastructure and a higher minimum wage

Biography

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.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotNew Hampshire Senate District 14

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for New Hampshire Executive Council District 4 in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for New Hampshire Executive Council District 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: John Stephen and Jim O'Connell. Candidate information follows official Rockingham County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the New Hampshire Executive Council District 4 election in New Hampshire?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for New Hampshire are on the New Hampshire election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Rockingham County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Rockingham County and state election office filings, last verified October 24, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official New Hampshire election office, or see the full Rockingham County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Rockingham County ballot

57 tracked races in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

New Hampshire Senate District 16 New Hampshire Senate District 17 New Hampshire Senate District 19 See all 57 Rockingham County races

Candidate profiles

John Stephen, full profile Jim O'Connell, full profile Official New Hampshire election office