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Governor

Vote for
1
Term
2 years
Candidates
3
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The governor is New Hampshire's chief executive: proposes the state budget, signs or vetoes laws and, with the Executive Council, appoints judges and agency heads. New Hampshire elects its governor every two years.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Cinde WarmingtonDemocratic

    • Proposes temporarily suspending the state gas tax.
    • Opposes a state sales tax or income tax.

  • Stephen VilleeLibertarian

    No documented position found.

  • Kelly AyotteRepublican

    • Opposes any state income tax or sales tax.

Public safety

  • Cinde WarmingtonDemocratic

    • Opposes an ICE detention facility in Merrimack or elsewhere.

  • Stephen VilleeLibertarian

    No documented position found.

  • Kelly AyotteRepublican

    • Signed changes to the bail system and victim protections.

Education

  • Cinde WarmingtonDemocratic

    • Pledges to repeal the state's private school voucher program.

  • Stephen VilleeLibertarian

    • Supports eventually reducing public school funding and Education Freedom Accounts.

  • Kelly AyotteRepublican

    • Supports keeping cell phones out of classrooms.

Housing

  • Cinde WarmingtonDemocratic

    • Supports barring private equity from buying single-family homes.

  • Stephen VilleeLibertarian

    No documented position found.

  • Kelly AyotteRepublican

    • Signed laws to speed up housing construction.

Economy & jobs

Environment & parks

  • Cinde WarmingtonDemocratic

    • Proposes a temporary moratorium on large data center permits.

  • Stephen VilleeLibertarian

    No documented position found.

  • Kelly AyotteRepublican

    • Opposes New Hampshire becoming a dumping ground for out-of-state trash.

Health & human services

  • Cinde WarmingtonDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Stephen VilleeLibertarian

    • Supports legalizing medical psilocybin for PTSD and depression.
    • Proposes winding down state welfare programs over time.

  • Kelly AyotteRepublican

    • Supported full funding for community mental health centers.

Government & transparency

  • Cinde WarmingtonDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Stephen VilleeLibertarian

    • Proposes adopting approval voting in New Hampshire elections.
    • Supports requiring a declaration of war before Guard deployment.

  • Kelly AyotteRepublican

    • Vetoed bills she called hidden sales taxes and book bans.

Courts & justice

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 9 issues covered in this race.