Although there were some setbacks this session, the big takeaway is that our defensive work, in collaboration with our partners, was successful! We are incredibly proud that the most devastating proposals were defeated AND we had some proactive wins on voting and childcare. Read below for a recap on our 2026 legislative work.

DEFENSIVE WINS

We defeated EVERY SINGLE attempt to restrict abortion (HB 1590, HB 1338, HB 1333, and HB 1493)

We are proud that all four of the proposed anti-abortion bills we advocated against this year in the New Hampshire Legislature were defeated, including measures that would ban abortion after 20-weeks, give legal rights to embryos, exclude abortion providers from charitable gaming funds, and require students to watch inaccurate videos in health class. 

Sixteen anti-abortion bills were introduced this year and ALL were defeated. Only one anti-abortion bill, HB 232, made it to Governor Ayotte’s desk – and she vetoed it. 

These bills were part of a larger effort to roll back reproductive rights and undermine bodily autonomy. Access to the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion, is crucial to women’s health, economic security, and freedom.

We stopped trans bans in bathrooms and in sports (SB 459, SB 552, and HB 1442)

Trans girls are girls. And trans girls deserve to be safe in their schools and communities and have the same educational opportunities as every other student.

Many bills targeting transgender people, particularly trans women and trans girls, were proposed in the New Hampshire legislature this year. We focused our efforts on SB 459, which would have allowed schools to exclude trans girls from athletic opportunities. We opposed this bill because it harmed trans girls — period. But we also pointed out to legislators that it would harm cis girls, too. When we open the door to challenging or “checking” the sex of students, all girls are threatened with having their sex challenged and having to “prove” they are a girl. Adolescence is already a fraught time for girls; the last thing we need is girls worried that a coach, ref, or parent from another team is going to publicly question if they are a girl. This is stressful to all girls and makes girls less likely to participate in sports if they worried they would have their gender challenged. 

Of the many proposed anti-trans bills, two passed the New Hampshire House and Senate. HB 1442 and SB 552 both included trans bans in bathrooms, sports, and jails. Governor Ayotte vetoed SB 552 citing her concerns with enforcing a bathroom ban, but HB 1442 is on its way to her desk. We are hopeful for another veto from Governor Ayotte, but hearing directly from constituents will make a big difference. Call Governor Ayotte (603-271-2121) and tell her to let all girls play sports free from harassment by vetoing HB 1442.

We stopped an effort to take away workers’ time-off for postpartum and pediatric appointments (HB 1250)

One of the key components of Momnibus 2.0 created a narrow, common-sense workplace protection so that new parents could attend postpartum and pediatric appointments during their newborn’s first year of life without risking their jobs. HB 1250 would introduce loopholes that would enable businesses to evade these regulations. 

We were able to explain to the House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee why they shouldn’t allow the loopholes and to let the law stand — and they agreed! The Committee unanimously recommended to ITL (kill) the bill and the House voted to ITL (kill) it. 

We are proud we were able to defend the progress we’ve made for moms. 

PROACTIVE WINS

We moved forward on efforts to ensure women can vote (SB 437)

Due to new voting document requirements, married women who have changed their last name are having a hard time voting because the name on their birth certificate doesn’t match the name on their license. SB 437 proposed tracking the number of people who are turned away from the polls for various reasons which would help us understand the impact on women and fix the problem.

The Senate Election Law Committee voted to recommend ITL (kill) this bill after the sponsor worked with the Secretary of State to find a solution where a count of registrants who are turned away will be obtained without passing legislation. The bill itself will not be moving forward but a way forward was agreed to, nonetheless. 

Child care is now a little easier for grandparents raising grandchildren (SB 608)

In order to get a child care scholarship from the state, families need to meet income eligibility and they have to prove they are working or enrolled in school themselves. This is hard for grandparents who are raising their grandkids as they sometimes have to re-enter the workforce or enroll in and pay for an advanced degree after they have retired. SB 608 eliminated the work/school requirement in the NH Child Care Scholarship Program for those at or over 67.

The yearly median cost of child care in New Hampshire for an infant is $21,593. When grandparents are raising grandchildren, it’s grandmothers who are primarily responsible and many struggle to afford child care on fixed incomes. 

This bill was signed into law by Governor Ayotte.

PROACTIVE LOSSES

We tried to pass Medicaid coverage for diapers (HB 1798)

The high cost of living in NH puts a disproportionate burden on women, and moms, particularly single moms, are struggling to make ends meet. Diapers cannot be purchased with SNAP, WIC, or Medicaid benefits and are a uniquely expensive necessity for moms of young children. 

We supported HB 1798 which would have provided a limited amount of diapers through Medicaid. New Hampshire would be the third state, after Arkansas and Delaware, to provide this support to Medicaid enrollees. 

The House Health and Human Services Committee voted to recommend ITL (kill) for this bill along party lines. The House voted to table the bill and effectively kill it. 

We tried to prohibit vape products from targeting girls (HB 1538)

Girls vape at higher rates than boys and vaping products often use marketing practices that target youth, particularly girls, with designs and flavors that might appeal to girls. 

We supported HB 1538 which would have prohibited vaping products from being marketed using candy and dessert flavors and popular characters among youth. And it would prohibit vaping devices that are disguised as school supplies or in clothing.

The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee recommended it for Interim Study, which means the Committee would look further into the bill/issue but the bill itself will not move forward this session. 

The post 2026 Legislative Wrap Up appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

Bills we support that are moving forward (win!):

• SB 608, which supports grandparents raising grandkids with child care costs, passed the Senate and moves on to the House. 
• SB 437, which would track the number of people, particularly women, turned away from the polls because of a last name change, did not move forward. However, the Sponsor, Senator Perkins Kwoka, worked with the Secretary of State to find a solution without needing legislation. This is a collaborative win that was positively impacted by bringing women’s voices to the table. 

Bills we opposed that are not moving forward (win!): 

• HB 125, which would have rolled back a section of Momnibus 2.0 that provided moms and parents unpaid time off for postpartum and pediatric visits for a year after birth, was killed after effective advocacy. 
• Many anti-abortion bills were defeated and are not moving forward including HB 1590, which would have moved the abortion ban from 24 to 20 weeks, HB 1338, which would have excluded abortion providers from receiving charitable gaming funds like all other nonprofits, HB 1333, which would have given rights to embryos, and HB 1493, which would have required students to watch inaccurate videos in health class.

Bill we supported that are not moving forward:

• HB 1798, which would have provided Medicaid coverage for diapers during a baby’s first year, was effectively killed after the House tabled the bill. 
• HB 1538, which would have prohibited vape products from targeting minors, will not move forward because the Committee elected to “Interim Study” the bill. 

Bills we oppose that are moving forward: 

• SB 459, would harm all girls by rolling back the rights of trans trans girls and negatively impact cis girls by requiring proof of sex to play sports, passed the Senate and has moved on to the House. 

We will continue to advocate on behalf of women and girls in this legislative session and always. To learn more about each of our priority bills, visit the Legislative page. If you are interested in getting involved in any of these bills, please contact Devan Quinn at devan@nhwomensfoundation.org

The post 2026 Legislative Crossover Update appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

The Music Hall’s decision to cancel Lovering Health Center’s rental contract — just six days before the healthcare provider’s annual fundraiser and documentary screening about abortion — has deeply shaken the Seacoast community.

In our public statement on October 9, we urged The Music Hall to “make it right.” We are grateful to the many community members who spoke out against this injustice and who stood in solidarity with Lovering. As the statewide women’s foundation investing in organizations serving women and girls, we are especially thankful for the many people who donated to Lovering in the aftermath of this unjust decision.

Rebuilding trust requires honesty and transparency. While we believe the Board of Trustees of The Music Hall (TMH) wishes to move forward and heal, the actions of its CEO continue to be troubling and contradictory. For that reason, we feel compelled to share a full and factual account of what transpired.

What Happened

In the immediate aftermath of the cancellation, we worked behind the scenes to understand the facts and seek a resolution — first by communicating with both Lovering and The Music Hall. TMH CEO Tina Sawtelle has repeatedly said that her decision was based on safety concerns following reports of a potential protest. However, she never reached out to Lovering’s leadership to discuss those concerns. When Lovering’s Executive Director asked to speak to Ms. Sawtelle after being notified of the event cancellation, she was told the decision was final and that Ms. Sawtelle “wasn’t going to speak to anyone.”

Ms. Sawtelle did speak with the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation on October 6. That conversation was deeply concerning. We were told that abortion was “too polarizing,” that “half of The Music Hall community” did not support abortion, and that the topic was a “lightning rod issue” on which The Music Hall must remain “neutral.” We were further told that other arts organizations “rooted in the contemporary arts” were better suited to take on “controversial subjects.”

We left that conversation with the clear understanding that The Music Hall was censoring a film about abortion and as we stated publicly on October 9, censorship of an abortion film perpetuates abortion stigma.

The Public Safety Claim

In its subsequent statement, The Music Hall again cited “public safety” concerns as the reason for cancellation. Yet the facts tell a different story. The information about the planned protest was shared with all event partners — including The Music Hall, the Portsmouth Police Department, the NH Peacekeepers, and the private security firm hired by Lovering at The Music Hall’s own recommendation.

The activist organizing the protest had requested participants bring chalk to write messages on the sidewalk before the screening. She asked people to RSVP and explicitly stated that the protest was not coordinated with New Hampshire Right to Life or any other national or state organization.

Despite knowing this, Ms. Sawtelle has continued to claim that a large-scale protest was expected. The Portsmouth Police Department refuted this directly in a Portsmouth Herald article published the same day as The Music Hall’s public statement. Deputy Police Chief Michael Maloney confirmed:

“Neither the chief nor I spoke to anyone at The Music Hall at any point. I would underscore that at no point in time was the police department tracking any kind of large-scale protest that we had safety concerns about.”

In the end, three peaceful protesters stood outside the new location of the Lovering fundraiser.

The Aftermath

Following our communication to The Music Hall Board of Trustees outlining these discrepancies, Lovering’s Executive Director received an email apology from the CEO and Board Chair for not better supporting them after cancellation. A similar apology was released publicly the following day.

While we welcomed this acknowledgment, progress toward accountability quickly unraveled. That same day, Ms. Sawtelle sent an email to local nonprofit leaders alleging a “digital civil war” of “cancel culture” against herself and The Music Hall staff — repeating the false claim that a “widespread invitation from New Hampshire Right to Life” had driven her decision. She also suggested she would have reconsidered her decision “had she received direct feedback from Lovering” — despite having declined to speak with them immediately after canceling.

The Path Forward

This continued doubling down and revision of events is profoundly disappointing. There have been numerous opportunities to take responsibility and begin to rebuild trust. Mistakes happen, and intent can differ from impact — but progress requires truth.

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, along with many in the Seacoast community, wants to see The Music Hall emerge from this moment as a stronger, more inclusive institution that truly values diverse perspectives. But genuine healing cannot occur without accountability, transparency, and a shared commitment to the truth.

We remain hopeful that The Music Hall Board will act decisively to restore trust and reaffirm the organization’s place as a cultural center that welcomes all voices — including those advocating for women’s health and reproductive freedom.

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation invests in opportunity and equality for women and girls in the Granite State through research, advocacy, education, grantmaking and philanthropy.

The post NHWF Statement on Developments Since The Music Hall’s Decision to Cancel Lovering Health Center’s Event appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

I write to share the Women’s Foundation’s shock and disappointment with The Music Hall’s decision to cancel Lovering Health Center’s rental of the Historic Theater just six days before its annual fundraiser and the highly anticipated showing of a documentary film about abortion. We are deeply concerned by the timing of the cancellation, the purported reason for the cancellation, and the subsequent explanation that abortion is “too political” for The Music Hall. This decision furthers abortion stigma and harms the Seacoast community, including the Health Center and people who provide, seek, and support access to abortion. 

We implore The Music Hall to make this right.  

Lovering Health Center, the region’s independent sexual and reproductive healthcare provider, contracted with The Music Hall for its annual “Cheers for Choice” event, its biggest fundraiser of the year, to be held on October 9, 2025. The event program was to show No One Asked You, a documentary film about fighting abortion stigma and activating people in local communities. The contract was finalized with The Music Hall months ago and the event and the film have been advertised for nearly as long. 

Last Friday, October 3, Lovering was made aware of an anti-abortion activist who was planning to protest outside of The Music Hall on the afternoon of the event. The activist encouraged her followers to arrive early to write on the sidewalk with chalk. Lovering staff immediately notified event partners, including the Portsmouth Police Department, the volunteer peacekeepers, and the event company who shared this information with The Music Hall. Later that day, and without any conversation or follow up, The Music Hall notified Lovering that it was canceling the rental—six days before the event.  

Initially, The Music Hall said it was canceling the rental contract for safety reasons. To be clear, there was no known threat to public safety. A protest and threats to public safety are very different considerations. Portsmouth is known for having protests, rallies, and actions in the downtown area with great frequency. Portsmouth Police, skilled in crowd management and protests, were already involved with the planning of the event. After sharing this information, Lovering had expected to collaborate on additional safety measures, as needed, but instead The Music Hall made an unequivocal decision to cancel the contract.

Unfortunately, it has become clear that the threat of a peaceful protest was simply a catalyst to the much larger and more concerning reason for the cancellation: The Music Hall believes abortion is “too polarizing.” The Music Hall leadership now claims the issue is a “lightning rod” and that The Music Hall has to “remain neutral.” To be clear, canceling an event for a documentary about abortion is not neutral. It is a political decision that is clearly anti-abortion.

Canceling this contract has a larger chilling effect. It suggests that cultural institutions should avoid people who provide, have, and support access to abortion. This is how abortion stigma is perpetuated. Ironically, The Music Hall’s decision has only further elevated the need for showing this timely film about fighting abortion stigma.

The Music Hall has a long history of showcasing artists, writers, comedians, and films that spark dialogue and debate, including, on several occasions, with the Women’s Foundation. In 2017, as part of the New Hampshire Film Festival, we co-hosted It’s Criminal, a documentary film about incarcerated women in the Granite State. In 2023, we co-hosted She Said, a film about the Me Too movement. Would these documentaries be deemed too controversial now? It is unfathomable that The Music Hall would cancel an event for a documentary film about abortion just one week before hosting the New Hampshire Film Festival.

The decision to cancel Lovering’s rental contract sets a dangerous precedent. Should we expect additional censorship or selective partnerships in the future from The Music Hall? What about events supporting LGBTQ+ youth? Or BIPOC programming? Or hosting historical films about women’s suffrage? Just how far will The Music Hall go to be “neutral?” 

Canceling the rental contract for a small nonprofit’s biggest fundraiser of the year—just days before the event—placed an enormous burden on Lovering, who had to scramble to find a new location for their 200 guests. It may have seemed like a small decision, but it has ripple effects across the Seacoast. Small nonprofits like the Lovering have tight budgets and a single fundraiser can significantly impact their ability to pay their bills and subsidize care for our neighbors in the community. 

The Music Hall has made a mistake. But this moment offers the opportunity to reflect, learn, and take accountability. The Music Hall can send a message to the community that it will not be deterred by a protester; that it is still committed to its values of “trust, inclusivity, accountability and courageous leadership.” You can continue to be a venue that builds “civic capacity for public discourse around controversial issues,” topics such as abortion.

We implore The Music Hall to make this right.

With urgency,

Tanna Clews

CEO

New Hampshire Women’s Foundation

Join us to demand The Music Hall make this right by emailing them at info@themusichall.org.

And please take this opportunity to donate to Lovering Health Center and its critical work providing essential healthcare including abortion.

The post Letter to The Music Hall about Canceling Lovering Health Center Event Rental appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

In May, the Executive Council voted 3-2 against a full federally funded contract to study ways to make women’s health care, particularly postpartum care, better and more affordable. The vote was not partisan. The three men on the Council (Joe Kenney, David Wheeler, and John Stephen) voted against the contract while the two women on the council (Karen Liot Hill and Janet Stevens) voted in support. Yesterday, the Council voted in favor of the contracts, and they passed!

Many of you took action and emailed the Councilors to reconsider their vote and your passion made the difference. Thank you for your advocacy! And special thanks to Governor Ayotte and Councilors Janet Stevens and Karen Liot Hill for their leadership and steadfast support for these women’s health contracts.

The majority of Granite Staters are covered by commercial insurance, and pregnancy and birth are the highest out-of-pocket expense of any health diagnosis or incident. These contracts would propose ways to make sure women and moms with commercial insurance get the postpartum care they need with lower costs.

New Hampshire women continue to face serious gaps in maternal health and wellness including, disparities in access to adequate prenatal care by race, ethnicity, income, and location, putting them at increased risk for poor birth outcomes. In the past two decades, 11 maternity wards in the state have closed, disproportionately affecting women in rural communities.

Women’s health is not a partisan issue, but it is clear that women’s leadership is needed to ensure comprehensive and affordable women’s health care. We know that regardless of party, women in elected office are more likely to vote for efforts that support women and girls, and this was made abundantly clear in the Executive Council’s vote.

Do you or another woman you know want to run for office? Click here to learn about our Women Run program and sign up for an upcoming event near you. https://nhwomensfoundation.org/women-run/ 

The post Executive Council Reconsiders Maternal Health Contract Vote from May appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

As always, make sure you double check with your city clerk’s office for all official and up-to-date information! We’ve included contact information for City Clerks here to make it as easy as possible.

We will be hosting in-person Women Run events across New Hampshire this summer ahead of City Elections in November. If you’re thinking about running for office now or in the future, or want to support other women who run, Women Run is for you! Women Run is the Granite State’s only nonpartisan program empowering and training women to run for state and local office. For more information, visit our Women Run page.

Cities with 2025 Elections:

Click to jump to your city.

• Berlin
• Claremont
• Concord
• Dover
• Franklin
• Keene
• Laconia
• Lebanon
• Manchester
• Nashua
• Portsmouth
• Rochester
• Somersworth

Berlin

General Election: November 4, 2025 *Including a Special Election for State Representative

Primary Election: No Primary Election

Filing Period: September 22 – October 6

Positions on the Ballot:

• Mayor
• City Councilor (5)
• School Board (4)
• Library Trustee (3)
• Moderator (4)
• Ward Clerk (4)
• Supervisor of the Checklist (12)

City Clerk: Shelli Fortin, Phone Number: (603) 752-2340, Email: sfortin@berlinnh.gov

Sign up for Women Run Berlin Event

Claremont

General Election: November 4, 2025

Primary Election: No Primary Election

Filing Period: September 17 – September 26

Positions on the Ballot:

• Mayor
• Assistant Mayor
• At-Large Councilors (4)
• Councilors (1 for each of 3 Wards)
• Moderator (1 for each of 3 Wards)
• Ward Clerk (1 for each of 3 Wards)
• Supervisor of the Checklist (3 for each of 3 Wards)

City Clerk: Gwendolyn Melcher, (603) 542-7003, Email: cityclerk@claremontnh.com

Concord

General Election: November 4, 2025

Primary Election: No Primary Election

Filing Period: September 5 – September 15 (File By Petition: September 19)

Positions on the Ballot:

• Mayor
• At-Large Councilors (2)
• Ward Councilors (1 for each of 10 Wards) 
• Ward Moderator (1 for each of 10 Wards) 
• Ward Clerk (1 for each of 10 Wards) 
• Supervisor of the Checklist (1 for each of 10 wards) 
• Board of Education (3 up for election in 2025, 1 each from District A (Wards 1-4), District B (Wards 5-7), and District C (Wards 8-10). Clerk of Court At-Large (1), Treasurer At-Large (1))

City Clerk: Janice Bonenfant, (603) 225-8500, Email: cityclerk@concordnh.gov

Sign up for the Women Run Concord Event

Dover

General Election: November 4, 2025

Primary Election: No Primary Election

Filing Period: September 8 – September 19

Positions on the Ballot:

• Mayor
• At-Large City Councilor (2)
• At-Large School Board member (1) 
• City Councilor (1 for each of 6 Wards)  
• School Board member (1 for each of 6 Wards)  
• Supervisor of the Checklist (1 for each of 6 Wards)
• Moderator (1 for each of 6 Wards)
• Ward Clerk (1 for each of 6 Wards)
• Selectperson (3 for each of 6 Wards)

City Clerk: Jerrica Vansylyvong-Bizier, (603) 516-6018, Email: TaxClerk@dover.nh.gov

Sign up for the Women Run Dover Event

Franklin

General Election: October 7, 2025

Primary Election: No Primary Election

Filing Period: August 13 – August 22

Positions on the Ballot: 

• Mayor
• City Councilor (1 for each of the 3 Wards)
• School Board (1 for each of the 3 Wards, 2 positions in Ward 1)
• Ward Moderator (Ward 1 only)
• Supervisor of the Checklist (1 for each Ward)

City Clerk: Michelle Stanyan, (603) 934-3109, Email: mstanyan@franklinnh.org

Keene

General Election: November 4, 2025

Primary Election: October 7, 2025 *Only if two (2) or more candidates file for the position of Mayor or City Council 

Filing Period: August 20 – September 9

Positions on the Ballot: 

• Mayor
• Ward Councilors (1 for each of 5 Wards)
• Councilors at Large (5)
• Ward Moderator (1 for each of 5 Wards) 
• Ward Clerk (1 for each of 5 Wards)
• Ward Selectmen (3 each of 5 Wards)
• Checklist Supervisor (1 for each of 5 wards) 

City Clerk: Terri M. Hood, (603) 352-0133 ext 2, Email: thood@keenenh.gov

Sign up for the Women Run Keene Event

Laconia

General Election: November 4, 2025

Primary Election: September 9, 2025 *Only if three (3) or more candidates file for the position of Mayor or City Council 

Filing Period: August 6 – August 15

Positions on the Ballot:

• Mayor
• Ward Councilor (1 for each of 6 Wards)
• Ward Moderator (1 for each of 6 Wards)
• Ward Clerk (1 for each of 6 Wards)
• Ward Selectman — Ward 2 (1), Ward 3 (1), Ward 4 (3), Ward 5 (3), Ward 6 (1)
• Supervisor of the checklist (1 for each of 6 Wards)
• School Board — Ward 2 (1), Ward 3 (1)
• Police Commission (2 positions for all Wards)

City Clerk: Katie Gargano, (603) 527-1265, Email: cityclerk@laconianh.gov

Lebanon

General Election: March 11, 2025

Primary Election: No Primary Election 

Filing Period: February 11, 2025

Positions on the Ballot:

• At-Large Ward Councilor (1)
• Ward Councilor (1 for each of 3 Wards)
• At-Large Library Board Trustee (1)
• Ward Moderator (1 for each of 3 Wards)
• Ward Clerk (1 for each of 3 Wards)
• Supervisor of the Voter Checklist (3 for each of 3 Wards)
• School Board Members (3)
• School District Moderator (1)
• School District Treasurer (1)
• School District Clerk (1)

City Clerk: Jaseya Ewing, (603) 448-3054, Email: cityclerk@lebanonnh.gov

Manchester

General Election: November 4, 2025

Primary Election: September 16 

Filing Period: July 14 – July 25

Positions on the Ballot:

• Mayor
• Alderman At-Large (2)
• School Committeeman At-Large (2)
• Alderman (1 for each of 12 Wards)
• School Committee Member (1 for each of 12 Wards)
• Moderator (1 for each of 12 Wards)
• Ward Clerk (1 for each of 12 Wards)
• Selectman (3 for each of 12 Wards)

City Clerk: Matthew Normand, (603) 624-6455, Email: cityclerk@manchesternh.gov

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Nashua

General Election: November 4, 2025

Primary Election: No Primary Election 

Filing Period: August 26 – September 5

Positions on the Ballot:

• Alderman At-Large (3)
• Ward Alderman (1 for each of 9 Wards)
• Board of Education (4)
• Fire Commissioner (2)
• Board of Public Works (2)
• Moderator (1 for each of 9 Wards)
• Ward Clerk (1 for each of 9 Wards)
• Selectmen (3 for each of 9 Wards)

City Clerk: Daniel Healey, (603) 589-3010, Email: CityClerkDept@nashuanh.gov

Sign up for the NHWF Women Run Nashua Event

Portsmouth

General Election: November 4, 2025

Primary Election: No Primary Election

Filing Period: September 2 – September 16

Positions on the Ballots:

• City Councilors At – Large (9)
• School Board (5)
• Fire Commissioner (2)
• Police Commissioner (2)
• Registrar At-Large (1)
• Assistant Registrar (1)
• Moderator (1 each for all 5 Wards)
• Clerk (1 each for all 5 Wards)
• Selectmen (3 each for all 5 Wards)
• Ward Registrar (1 each for all 5 Wards)

City Clerk: Kelli Barnaby, (603) 610-7245, Email: cityclerk@cityofportsmouth.com

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Rochester

General Election: November 4, 2025

Primary Election: No Primary Election

Filing Period: September 5 – September 22

Positions on the Ballots:

• Mayor
• City Council (2 each for all 6 Wards)
• School Board At-Large (1)
• School Board (2 each for all 6 Wards)
• Police Commissioner (1 for Wards 1 and 2, 1 for Wards 3 and 4, and 1 for Wards 5 and 6)
• Moderator (1 each for all 6 Wards)
• Ward Clerk (1 each for all 6 Wards)
• Supervisor of the Checklist (1 each for all 6 Wards)
• Selectman (1 each for all 6 Wards)

City Clerk: Kelly Walters, (603) 332-2130, Email: cityclerk@rochesternh.gov

Somersworth

General Election: November 4, 2025

Special Election: June 24, 2025 for State Representative

Primary Election: No Primary Election

Filing Period: September 10 – September 25

Positions on the Ballots:

• Mayor
• City Council (1 for each of 5 Wards)
• City Council At-Large (4)
• School Board (1 for each of 5 Wards)
• School Board At-Large (4)
• Moderator (1 for each of 5 Wards)
• Ward Clerk (1 for each of 5 Wards)
• Selectmen (3 for each of 5 Wards)

City Clerk: Kristen LaPanne, (603) 692-9511, Email: klapanne@somersworthnh.gov

If you’re a woman thinking of running for office now or in the future, or know women who should run for office, check out our Women Run! trainings and resources. 

The post 2025 NH City Elections — Information for Candidates appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

On May 21, the Executive Council voted 3-2 AGAINST a fully federally funded (no state dollars) contract for maternal health. The vote was not partisan. The three men on the Council (Joe Kenney, David Wheeler, and John Stephen) voted against the contract while the two women on the council (Karen Liot Hill and Janet Stevens) voted in support.

MATERNAL HEALTH IS NOT PARTISAN

Maternal health is not a partisan issue, but it is clear that women’s leadership is needed to ensure comprehensive women’s health care and protections for moms. We know that regardless of party, women in elected office are more likely to vote for efforts that support women and girls, and this was made abundantly clear in yesterday’s vote. 

HYPOCRISY

Just two weeks ago, Governor Ayotte read aloud and signed a proclamation for Maternal Mental Health Week in the presence of all five councilors and more than a dozen maternal health advocates. We were grateful to the Governor for lifting up the importance of maternal mental health in the presence of the Councilors. Afterwards, the councilors posed for photos with the maternal health advocates. It is hypocritical and politics at its worst for the three men on the Council to stand next to maternal health advocates for a photo op and turn around two weeks later and vote down a fully paid-for maternal health contract. 

ABOUT THE CONTRACT

The Department of Insurance brought this contract forward “for the purposes of studying access to women’s health services, particularly postpartum care, and to explore fiscally responsible options for expanding coverage within New Hampshire’s Essential Health Benefit benchmark plan.” This contract was entirely federally funded from an Expanding Access to Women’s Health Program grant and would propose ways to make sure moms with commercial/employer-based insurance get the postpartum care they need with lower hospital and insurance bills. There is no state funding for this grant or contract. 

The majority of Granite Staters, women, moms, and births are covered by commercial insurance, therefore, it is integral to study the level of birth and postpartum benefits and access to care commercial insurance is providing. The UNH Institute for Health Policy and Practice recently reported that pregnancy is the highest out-of-pocket expense for Granite Staters with commercial insurance and the cost has increased 42% since 2016.

WE NEED MORE WOMEN IN OFFICE

We know that, regardless of party, women in elected office are more likely to vote for efforts that support women and girls. We are so proud of the legislators and councilors across the political spectrum who sponsor the bills and take the votes for our most important priorities. 

IMPORTANCE OF MATERNAL HEALTH IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshire moms continue to face serious gaps in maternal health and wellness. Behavioral health, including substance misuse, is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the state. 

Women in New Hampshire face disparities in access to adequate prenatal care by race, ethnicity, income, and location, putting them at increased risk for poor birth outcomes. 

In the past two decades, 11 maternity wards in the state have closed, increasing the median driving time for women to access care and disproportionately affecting women in rural communities. 

TAKE ACTION

• Send an email to the Executive Councilors asking them to reconsider and approve the fully funded maternal health contract.
• Consider running for office and/or encourage a friend to run for office and sign up for Women Run! 

The post Tell the Executive Council to support the maternal health contract appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

New Hampshire has one of the strictest voting laws in the country with requirements similar to the SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship with naturalization papers, a passport, or birth certificate to register to vote. And just a few months ago, we saw the real-life impact this restrictive law had on our Town Voting Day when women were turned away because the name on their birth certificate did not match their married name.

Seventy nine percent of women married to men in New Hampshire have taken their spouse’s last name (34% of all women in NH) which does not match their birth certificate. This creates an additional barrier to women with married names who have to now bring a marriage certificate in addition to all other documentation to register to vote.  

Before New Hampshire’s newest voting law applied this year, our state had high voter participation and voter fraud was extremely rare. Despite discriminatory barriers that uniquely disenfranchise women with married names, women persisted and returned to the polls multiple times with more documentation on Town Voting Day, to ensure their right to vote. We encourage all legal voters to persist and use their voice at the ballot box while fighting against draconian and sexist laws. 

Here are some news stories highlighting individual NH Women’s challenges voting: 

https://apnews.com/article/save-act-voting-proof-citizenship-new-hampshire-5105986c3fc354d3d61ec3480b49c788

https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2025-03-11/nhs-new-id-requirements-send-some-would-be-voters-home-to-grab-passports-birth-certificates

The post NHWF Opposes SAVE Act appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

Here’s what we see in the House budget: 

• Elimination of the NH Family Planning Program
  • The NH Family Planning Program provides essential sexual and reproductive health care services and information to lower-income Granite Staters including birth control, cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, and pregnancy testing and counseling. 
• Reductions in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services
  • Women and girls suffer from depression and anxiety at higher rates than men and boys and women and girls are more likely to seek care for mental health. Cuts would impact community mental health centers and efforts to eliminate emergency department psychiatric boarding. 
• Elimination of the Human Rights Commission
  • The Human Rights Commission enforces discrimination laws in employment, housing, places of public accommodation and K-12 public schools, including gender discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and sex-based harassment. 
• Elimination of the Office of the Child Advocate
  • The Office of the Child Advocate promotes the best interests of all New Hampshire children and strengthens public confidence and accountability in the State’s systems that support children and families. The Office of the Child Advocate has been responsible for high-profile discoveries of harmful out-of-state placements for NH children. 
• Elimination of the State Commission on Aging
  • The Commission on Aging advises on policy and planning related to aging. New Hampshire’s population is rapidly aging and older women have lower median earnings than older men and are more likely to be the primary caretaker for grandchildren than older men. 
• 3% cut to Medicaid reimbursement rates
  • NH women are more likely to be enrolled in Medicaid than men and cuts to reimbursement rates may reduce the number of providers serving this population at a time when it is already hard to find care. 
• Cutting the NH Paid Family Medical Leave marketing budget
  • Many still do not know about the NH PFML program, especially the individual market. Advertising is crucial to help people navigate this benefit product. 
• Prohibition of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in public schools 
  • This impacts the opportunity to learn about women’s history, black history, and much more. 
• Good news: 
  • Child Care Scholarships Remain Intact
  • Support for maternal health will continue in the Senate with Momnibus 2.0

We encourage the House and Senate to make smart, long-term investments in health, safety, prosperity, and opportunity for Granite State women and girls. 

To learn more about other NHWF legislative priorities, click here.

The post The New Hampshire House of Representatives to Vote on Cuts to Many Programs Impacting Women and Girls appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

Today, President Biden announced his recognition that the Equal Rights Amendment is the 28th Amendment to the Constitution.

The ERA provides: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.” Those few, simple words enshrine protections too long denied and move our country closer to the promise of equal rights for all.

Thank you to all the organizations, individuals, and elected officials in New Hampshire who called on President Biden to move the Equal Rights Amendment forward. You were a part of this history. To read the President’s statement: https://bit.ly/3PHjads.

—

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, the Remedial Herstory Project, the League of Women Voters New Hampshire, and many other organizations, elected officials, and individuals across the Granite State, call on President Joe Biden to instruct the U.S. archivist to certify and publish the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The ERA passed Congress in a bipartisan effort in 1972 and headed to the states for ratification. Despite achieving ratification by the required 38 states, the amendment remains uncertified, leaving a glaring gap in our nation’s foundational commitment to justice and equality for all. From the right to vote to the Me Too movement, the women’s movement has sought legal and social tools to create a more equitable country. The story of the ERA represents decades of advocacy, resilience, and the pursuit of justice and would create sweeping protections for women and girls not yet in place. After reaching all requirements for ratification, it must be published in the U.S. Constitution.

You can read the full article in Seacoast online here.

Click here to sign on to the letter.

The post Publish the Equal Rights Amendment appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.