New Hampshire
NH bill would divide presidential electors by district: 'We want voters to feel their vote counts'
CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire lawmakers are looking to mirror Maine and Nebraska, and make theirs the third state that divides its presidential electors by congressional district in what a top Republican proponent called a bid to give more power to the voters.
Senate Bill 11, sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Bill Gannon and seven other Republicans, would award a presidential delegate to the winner of each of its two congressional districts and award two more to the winner of the statewide popular vote.
“Congressional district presidential electors shall cast their ballots for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates who received the highest number of votes in their respective congressional districts,” Senate Bill 11 reads.
The bill will receive its first committee hearing Tuesday, Fox News Digital has learned.
POPULAR REPUBLICAN REVEALS WHAT’S NEXT AFTER GOVERNING NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR 8 YEARS
“I Voted” stickers sit on the table on the second day of early voting in the 2024 presidential election at the Board of Elections Loop Super Site in Chicago. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
The Granite State is known for its “First-in-the-nation” primary contest and midnight canvassing on Election Day in the small community of Dixville Notch.
“We want to stay ‘First-in-the-nation’,” Gannon, of Sandown, told Fox News Digital.
“That’s a big, important thing. We want our voters to feel: ‘I go out and vote – my vote counts.’”
Gannon dismissed criticism from state Senate Minority Leader Rebecca Perkins Kwoka, who told WMUR that Republicans should play “fair and square” and claimed state legislature maps are already “very gerrymandered.”
“I think this is yet another example of the Republicans kind of trying to change the system to meet their needs,” she told the outlet.
Gannon disagreed. “She had a statement; ‘they’re trying to steal a vote’ or something – Not the case at all,” he said.
Gannon indicated that if the law were in effect in the contentious 2000 presidential race, the divided electors would’ve benefited Democrats – though Vice President Al Gore took the state under its current winner-take-all system. In 2016, the division would have awarded Donald Trump a lone elector when Hillary Clinton took the state.
“I hope to pick up some Democrat support unless they vote in lockstep. If they’re willing to look at the bill and say ‘jeez, it could benefit either side.’ It’s just going to represent the people more,” he said.
TRUMP’S ‘GULF OF AMERICA’ BID LEADS TO TEXAS-SIZED SUGGESTION: ‘GULF OF BUC-EE’S’
New Hampshire’s four electors are sworn in by Secretary of State Dave Scanlon, left, as the Electoral College vote takes place in state capitols across the country, in Concord, New Hampshire, on Dec. 17, 2024. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
“That’s what we’re all about in New Hampshire, representing the will of the people.”
New Hampshire notably has the largest state legislature in the country at 424 lawmakers. It dwarfs second-place Pennsylvania’s 203-member legislature.
Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. Debra Altschiler panned the bill and quipped that if New Hampshire wants to follow Maine’s lead in this respect, there are other more progressive initiatives the legislature should take up.
“This bill is completely out of line with New Hampshire values,” said Altschiller, of Stratham.
“And if we, as New Hampshire, wanted to follow Maine’s lead, then we would have universal free lunch for all students, and we’d have background checks on firearms purchases. But we don’t have that.”
“So we don’t always take our marching orders from other states.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A sign outside the state capital building in Concord, New Hampshire, spotlights the state’s treasured position for the past century in holding the lead-off presidential primary. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
In the past three presidential cycles, neighboring Maine has awarded its divided electors 3-1 to the Democratic candidate. Each time, Trump won the one elector from the state’s rural, interior, 2nd congressional district.
The opposite has been true in Nebraska in 2020 and 2024, when President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris each scored the single delegate from the Omaha-centric 2nd congressional district. Trump earned the other four delegates – and previous to 2016, all electors were often awarded to the Republican.
With the Republicans holding a 16-8 supermajority in the state Senate, the bill is likely to pass the chamber later this month or in February. The measure would then head to the state House of Representatives, where the GOP also holds a wide majority and where Republican lawmakers will likely be receptive to the legislation.
New Hampshire
Photo Exhibit | Art Talk | Crew Competition | Nashua Genealogy Club | More: Week Ahead Events
NASHUA, NH — Here is the week ahead roundup.
Get out, New Hampshire.
Event listings are free on one Patch site. You can share your calendar info on other community sites for a modest fee, starting at 25 cents per day. To get started, visit the Events link on the front page of all Patch sites. Statewide calendar roundups are published on most Sundays and Wednesdays. Visit any of the 223 New Hampshire Patch Event sites (patch.com/map/new-hampshire) for updated listings.
Join us for a community conversation exploring how land conservation supports thriving communities, healthy ecosystems, and local economies. Recent research from Maine highlights the growing economic value of conserved lands — from supporting recreation, forestry, agriculture, and tourism to protecting clean water, storing carbon, and strengthening climate resilience. The findings reveal something important: protecting natural landscapes is not only good for the environment, but also for the people and communities that depend on them.
Together, we’ll explore what this research means both regionally and here at home. How do conserved lands shape our quality of life, local economy, and sense of place? How can communities balance growth, conservation, and long-term sustainability? And what role can each of us play in protecting the landscapes that support both nature and people?
At each “Let’s Talk Nature” gathering, we share a short article in advance and come together for an informal, welcoming discussion. Each session stands on its own, and everyone is welcome. No expertise needed. Bring your curiosity and a willingness to listen and share. Drinks and cookies provided.
Read this session’s article: Conserved Land in Maine has Growing Economic Power
Grey Rocks Conservation Center
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM on Wed, 1 Jul 2026
Event Supported By
Newfound Lake Region Association
603-744-8689
info@NewfoundLake.org
High winds and widespread rain contributed to more than 12,000 power outages Saturday as a low pressure system passes over New Hampshire.
A high wind advisory remains in effect for southeastern New Hampshire until midday.
There is a high surf advisory in effect for the Seacoast area until 8 p.m. Saturday, with large-breaking waves in the range of 6-9 feet, according to the National Weather Service.
The forecast warns of dangerous wintry winds for hikers and campers, with heavy wet snow likely at higher elevations and a foot of snow possible on summits in the White Mountains.
In southeastern New Hampshire, the wind advisory calls for steady winds of 15-25 mph, and potential wind gusts up to 50 mph.
Eversource reported over 10,000 outages as of 9:30 a.m. Unitil had about 1,400 outages at that time.
The Mount Washington Observatory has recorded winterlike weather over the past 24 hours. Weather observers there say over half a foot of snow and sleet has fallen at the summit.
-
Los Angeles, Ca35 minutes agoMan found stabbed to death in Huntington Park
-
Detroit, MI57 minutes agoDetroit Grand Prix father-daughter volunteers help make winner’s circle moments shine
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoTony Vitello just lost the only Giants allies he has left
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoFatal crash on LBJ Freeway in Dallas leaves 1 dead, multiple people hospitalized, police say
-
Miami, FL1 hour agoDeputies searching for 2 men accused of shooting man during attempted robbery in SW Miami-Dade
-
Boston, MA1 hour agoFriend of Worcester woman killed in Virginia I-95 crash ‘cannot believe she is gone.’ – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoDenver hockey’s Johnny Hicks wins DU Pioneers’ Male Athlete of the Year
-
Seattle, WA1 hour agoVikings stealing Nolan Teasley from Seahawks might be even worse than it appears
