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State Representative, Belknap 5

Vote for
4
Term
2 years
Candidates
8
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state representative votes on New Hampshire laws and the state budget in the 400-member House of Representatives.

Marcia Hayward

Democratic

Retired educator · Laconia

The gist

  • Opposes the Education Freedom Account school choice program.
  • Opposes adding a state income tax on earned income.
  • Opposes a state cap on school district budget increases.
  • Supports restoring funding for the Office of the Child Advocate.
  • Opposes lowering New Hampshire business taxes.
  • Opposes school funding relying mostly on local property taxes.
More about Marcia
View sources (1)
  1. Opposes the Education Freedom Account school choice program.

    Citizens Count: Marcia Hayward profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “Public education is what the taxpayers support, not providing it to children who have never been in the system and to families that can afford”
  2. Opposes adding a state income tax on earned income.

    Citizens Count: Marcia Hayward profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “Voters from both parties have never shown an interest in broad based taxes. A representatives job is to reflect the will of his/her constituents.”
  3. Opposes a state cap on school district budget increases.

    Citizens Count: Marcia Hayward profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “this is another Republican distraction from the State's ranking of being dead last in support of public education.”
  4. Supports restoring funding for the Office of the Child Advocate.

    Citizens Count: Marcia Hayward profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “This office protects children who have no one else to advocate for them. It is just common sense to care for our youth.”
  5. Opposes lowering New Hampshire business taxes.

    Citizens Count: Marcia Hayward profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “The State has been cutting business taxes for a decade and downshifting the costs onto the local taxpayer in the form of increased property taxes.”
  6. Opposes school funding relying mostly on local property taxes.

    Citizens Count: Marcia Hayward profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “The State is nationally dead last in its support of public education. It currently funds approximately 21% of the cost. The national average is 45%.”

Eric Hoffman

Democratic

Mechanical engineer; Laconia city councilor · Laconia

The gist

  • Opposes the Education Freedom Account school choice program.
  • Opposes adding a state income tax on earned income.
  • Supports state push for local zoning changes for housing.
  • Opposes a state cap on school district budget increases.
  • Opposes stricter gun control laws.
  • Opposes banning abortion during the first trimester.
  • Supports raising the net metering cap to 5 megawatts.
More about Eric
View sources (1)
  1. Opposes the Education Freedom Account school choice program.

    Citizens Count: Eric Hoffman profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “This program has been poorly managed, with limited oversight or accountability and very low qualifications as to what constitutes an education.”
  2. Opposes adding a state income tax on earned income.

    Citizens Count: Eric Hoffman profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “I am against any new broad based taxes.”
  3. Supports state push for local zoning changes for housing.

    Citizens Count: Eric Hoffman profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “Yes, but the key word is encourage, not dictate.”
  4. Opposes a state cap on school district budget increases.

    Citizens Count: Eric Hoffman profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “I am against this, because I am for local control.”
  5. Opposes stricter gun control laws.

    Citizens Count: Eric Hoffman profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “Clearly there is a national problem with mental health and gun violence, but restricting the rights of law abiding gun owners, myself included, seems like”
  6. Opposes banning abortion during the first trimester.

    Citizens Count: Eric Hoffman profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “The government should not be involved in personal health decisions.”
  7. Supports raising the net metering cap to 5 megawatts.

    Citizens Count: Eric Hoffman profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “Our energy policy in NH has been short-sighted and not focused enough on renewable energy and sustainability.”

Lois A. Kessin

Democratic

Laconia

The gist

No documented position found.

Denise Riley

Democratic

Laconia

The gist

No documented position found.

Cody Pfaff

Republican

Laconia

The gist

No documented position found.

Paul Rossi

Republican

Teacher · Laconia

The gist

No documented position found.

Mike Bordes

RepublicanIncumbent

Former Laconia mayor · Laconia

The gist

  • Opposes adding a state income tax on earned income.
  • Opposes state push for local zoning changes for housing.
  • Opposes a state cap on school district budget increases.
  • Opposes stricter gun control laws.
  • Supports lowering New Hampshire business taxes.
  • Opposes school funding relying mostly on local property taxes.
  • Supports requiring local police to aid immigration enforcement.
More about Mike
View sources (1)
  1. Opposes adding a state income tax on earned income.

    Citizens Count: Mike Bordes profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “No. New Hampshire should add no new taxes not now, not ever.”
  2. Opposes state push for local zoning changes for housing.

    Citizens Count: Mike Bordes profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “The state shouldn’t be pushing blanket zoning rollbacks from the top down.”
  3. Opposes a state cap on school district budget increases.

    Citizens Count: Mike Bordes profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “Absolutely not. Budget decisions should be made by local level, not dictated by Concord.”
  4. Opposes stricter gun control laws.

    Citizens Count: Mike Bordes profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “Absolutely not. New Hampshire should not pass stricter gun control laws. The Second Amendment shall not be infringed period.”
  5. Supports lowering New Hampshire business taxes.

    Citizens Count: Mike Bordes profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “Yes. Lowering business taxes is exactly how New Hampshire fuels growth, attracts new investment, and creates more jobs for our workforce.”
  6. Opposes school funding relying mostly on local property taxes.

    Citizens Count: Mike Bordes profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “Absolutely not. New Hampshire needs to step up and fund education properly instead of dumping the burden on local municipalities.”
  7. Supports requiring local police to aid immigration enforcement.

    Citizens Count: Mike Bordes profile

    Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org

    “New Hampshire should require local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement in order to ensure the safety and security of all residents in”

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; 7 issues covered in this race.