Republican David Scanlan says he's running for another two-year term as New Hampshire secretary of state, but this time he's not coasting into the job unopposed. At least three Democrats, and possibly more, are now courting the state Legislature for votes ahead of a December 2 selection, hoping to capitalize on a dramatic shift in power at the State House.
A Legislature-Picked Post Suddenly Up For Grabs
New Hampshire is unusual in that voters don't directly choose their secretary of state. Instead, as NHPR explains, the position is elected by a vote of the full membership of the New Hampshire House and Senate at the start of each new legislative session in December. That detail matters enormously this year: Democrats won almost 300 of the 400 House seats as well as 15 of 24 Senate seats, according to the New Hampshire Bulletin, flipping the Legislature after years of Republican control. The same outlet reports Scanlan will face at least three challengers, and possibly more, for his position this year.
Scanlan has held the office since 2022, after spending two decades as deputy secretary of state under his predecessor, Bill Gardner, according to reporting from the Boston Globe. He's pitching himself as the most experienced candidate in the race, saying he has bipartisan backing and can provide consistency other candidates cannot, per the Globe's reporting. Scanlan's spokesperson did not provide additional comment on his reelection bid at the time of the Globe's publication.
Three Names, and Counting, Seek Lawmakers' Support
Carleigh Beriont, a Democrat from Hampton, sent an email to all 424 state House and Senate members Tuesday morning asking for their support, the Bulletin reported. Beriont holds a PhD from Harvard and has taught at the university's Kennedy School since 2022, according to the Globe. She currently serves as an election commissioner, select board chair, and Hampton budget committee member, and ran unsuccessfully earlier this year for New Hampshire's first congressional district, losing the Democratic primary to Stefany Shaheen, who went on to win the general election. Beriont has spoken about the ritual of Election Day and her interest in youth voter registration.
James Butler, of Portsmouth, similarly sent a letter to lawmakers last week asking for their support, the Bulletin reported. Butler previously worked as a policy adviser to former Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan and now works for Eversource Energy. In his letter to lawmakers, he said the office can undergo meaningful change and move in a new direction, telling legislators he would expand voting rights, modernize the office, and uphold the first-in-the-nation primary, according to the Globe.
State Rep. Patrick Long, a Manchester Democrat, has also been courting lawmakers, the Bulletin's report noted. Long is citing his own experience as an election volunteer, poll observer, ballot inspector, and selectman.
Not everyone has made up their mind. Sarah Chadzynski told the Bulletin she is seriously considering a run but has not yet made a decision, leaving open the possibility that the Democratic field could grow before the vote.
An Office With a History of Stability
The secretary of state's office extends well beyond running elections. The role also regulates securities and risk pools, administers business registrations, and oversees the state archive, per NHPR's reporting. Seacoastonline describes the office as having experienced an unusual amount of stability in recent history compared to the rest of state government — a notable contrast given that, per the same outlet, Scanlan's predecessor, Bill Gardner, a Democrat, served as secretary of state for 46 years and was the nation's longest-serving secretary of state, according to the Associated Press. Gardner was kept in office by both Democratic and Republican legislative majorities, a run of continuity that ended only when Scanlan succeeded him.
That stability has occasionally been tested. In 2018, Democrat Colin Van Ostern challenged Gardner for the post and fell short of winning the job after a series of close votes before the full Legislature, NHPR reported. Whether this year's crowded Democratic field produces a different outcome will depend on lawmakers who themselves are new to Concord in record numbers; the New Hampshire Union Leader noted a larger-than-usual turnover this time, with down-ballot results closely tracking the governor's race in a wave that reshaped the State House.
What Happens Next
The full Legislature is set to vote on the position December 2, per the Bulletin. Whether Democrats can unite behind a single challenger before then — or split their votes among Beriont, Butler, Long, and any late entrants — could determine whether Scanlan keeps the office he's held since 2022 or New Hampshire gets its first new secretary of state in years.
