State

State Senator, 6th District

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

What this office does: A state senator votes on New Hampshire laws and the state budget.

Candidates Compare by issue

Cecil Abels

Democratic

Restaurant owner · Rochester

The gist

Opposes adding a state income tax on earned income.
Supports state push to ease local zoning for housing.
Opposes requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.
Supports guaranteeing a right to abortion before 24 weeks.
Supports restoring funding for the Office of the Child Advocate.
Opposes funding schools mostly through local property taxes.

More about Cecil

View sources (1)

Opposes adding a state income tax on earned income.
Citizens Count: Cecil Abels profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“No. We've handed away several revenue streams the last few years...”
Supports state push to ease local zoning for housing.
Citizens Count: Cecil Abels profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“We've got a huge housing crisis,here in NH and across the country, and folks are getting priced out of the towns they grew up in.”
Opposes requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.
Citizens Count: Cecil Abels profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“Let's start with the facts: voter fraud is vanishingly rare in New Hampshire… it's just not the problem some folks make it out to be.”
Supports guaranteeing a right to abortion before 24 weeks.
Citizens Count: Cecil Abels profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“This one's simple to me: decisions about a pregnancy belong to the pregnant person and their doctor.”
Supports restoring funding for the Office of the Child Advocate.
Citizens Count: Cecil Abels profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“An independent office whose whole job is looking out for kids and catching abuse before it becomes a tragedy is exactly what state government should”
Opposes funding schools mostly through local property taxes.
Citizens Count: Cecil Abels profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“No. Here's what bothers me: New Hampshire covers a smaller share of its own school costs than any state in the country, right around 29”

James P. Gray

RepublicanIncumbent

Retired electrical engineer; state senator · Rochester

The gist

Voted to keep and expand the Education Freedom Account program.
Voted against bills barring new state abortion restrictions.
Voted against bills to raise the state minimum wage.
Voted to ban local "sanctuary policies."
Voted for mandatory minimum sentences for supplying fentanyl.
Voted against no-excuse absentee voting for all voters.

More about James

View sources (1)

Voted to keep and expand the Education Freedom Account program.
Citizens Count: James Gray profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“In 2022, Sen”
Voted against bills barring new state abortion restrictions.
Citizens Count: James Gray profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“Sen”
Voted against bills to raise the state minimum wage.
Citizens Count: James Gray profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“In the 2019-2020 legislative session, Gray voted against three bills that would have gradually raised the minimum wage to $12/hour: SB 410 , HB 731”
Voted to ban local "sanctuary policies."
Citizens Count: James Gray profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“Voted to prohibit state and local governments from adopting "sanctuary policies" in 2024 ( SB 563 ) and 2025 ( SB 62 ).”
Voted for mandatory minimum sentences for supplying fentanyl.
Citizens Count: James Gray profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“Voted for a mandatory minimum sentence for supplying fentanyl ( SB 415 ), voted for a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence for the crime of”
Voted against no-excuse absentee voting for all voters.
Citizens Count: James Gray profile
Candidate questionnaire · Citizens Count · citizenscount.org
“Gray voted against HB 611 and HB 1672 , both bills that would allow any voter to vote by absentee ballot, whether or not he”

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; 8 issues covered in this race.