The midterms might be over, but there's yet another important election coming up in New Hampshire: state lawmakers will soon pick our next Secretary of State. Bill Gardner has had the job for more than 40 years but now - he faces TWO challengers. We talk to all three candidates, and discuss how lately that office has become more prominent, and political.
This show is hosted by Lauren Chooljian, NHPR's politics and policy reporter for the State of Democracy project.
GUESTS:
- Casey McDermott - NHPR's investigative and data reporter. She has covered allegations of voter fraud, campaign finance, and voting laws in New Hampshire.
- James Pindell - Reporter for the Boston Globe, where he wrote about Secretary of State races across the U.S., former political director and on-air political analyst for WMUR, and columnist for the Union Leader.
We also hear from:
- Bill Gardner - Secretary of State for New Hampshire, a Democrat who is the longest serving Secretary of State in the U.S. He was first elected by the state legislature in 1976.
- Colin Van Ostern - Democratic challenger for Secretary of State, former Democratic candidate for governor in 2016, and member of the N.H. Executive Council from 2012-2016.
- Peter Sullivan - Democratic challenger for Secretary of State, and former Democratic state legislator and alderman for Manchester.
