New Hampshire

NH House bill seeks to repeal change to Strafford County Commission election

Published

5 months ago

February 15, 2024

NH House bill seeks to repeal change to Strafford County Commission election

DOVER — An effort to overturn a bill passed last year to change the way citizens vote for Strafford County commissioners received a public hearing before a New Hampshire House committee last week.

House Bill 1210 would repeal House Bill 75, which passed by one vote, 186-185, in the House and the Senate 14-10, along party lines. The election for the county’s three commissioners has long been countywide, meaning the top three vote getters were elected. The new bill breaks the towns and cities of Strafford County into three districts, with each voting for a commissioner. It’s set to take effect for the 2024 election in November.

The change means County Commission Chairman George Maglaras of Dover, who has served on the commission since 1983, would have to run against Commissioner Deanna Rollo in a Democratic primary, if both seek reelection this year. Democrats have long controlled the commission, which holds elections every two years, with a Republican last serving in 2011-12.

One of the proponents of House Bill 75, state Sen. Jim Gray, R-Rochester, in 2023 argued districts should be created to give smaller towns in Strafford County more representation. He also pointed out nine of 10 county commissioner elections in the state have districts. Strafford County is the only one that does not.

“That is taking away the people’s right to vote for all three commissioners,” Maglaras countered. “With that vote the new law lets people in the county only vote for one and divides the two major cities in half, disenfranchising tens of thousands of voters.”

Constitutional argument for and against districts in Strafford Counlty

Democrats who opposed the bill to change the election called it gerrymandering. Another argument Democrats made was redistricting of voting maps happens nationally every 10 years, following the once-a-decade Census. Gray helped lead that process in New Hampshire with Republicans in majority control. Numerous election districts were changed in the state, but no changes were made to the Strafford County commissioner election at that time.

Maglaras and other Democrats said state lawmakers need to wait for the next 10-year cycle and argued making changes would be unconstitutional. They said it would set a precedent the party in majority control could make changes at any time.

Gray defended the constitutionality of House Bill 75. In 2023, when House Bill 75 was being debated, he said an attorney told him “districting is different than redistricting,” meaning this change isn’t part of the redistricting because there are no districts for Strafford County commissioners. Gray said another attorney advised him since no action was taken on Strafford County commissioners during the redistricting process, “we still have our once-in-10-years opportunity.”

In addition to the constitutionality of the bill, Maglaras pointed out that one of the House votes that passed the bill was cast by former representative Troy Merner, ousted from the legislature after it was shown he was still voting even though he no longer lived in Lancaster, the town he represented.

“He was charged with fraud and casting votes illegally,” said Maglaras. “That will certainly be one of the pleadings in support of the new bill.”

House Bill 1210 was heard by the House’s Municipal and County Government committee, which is scheduled to vote on it by March 21. The bill will then go to the full House with the committee’s recommendation. It is sponsored by Democratic state Reps. Tim Horrigan, Cam Kenney, and Allan Howland, all of Durham, as well as Chuck Grassie of Rochester and Heath Howard of Strafford.

Maglaras said HB 1210 is the last attempt to repeal what he says is an unfair law. It if fails, he reiterated his stand the county will take its argument to court.

“The courts prefer you make all efforts to work through the legislature so that’s what we are doing,” he said. “But we firmly believe this is wrong and we will take it as far as we have to.”

Source link

Click to comment

New Hampshire

New Hampshire officials issue warning after 10 people killed in car crashes in 4 days

Published

1 hour ago

July 16, 2024

Press Room

New Hampshire officials issue warning after 10 people killed in car crashes in 4 days

Local News

Officials ask all residents to practice safe driving methods.

64 people have been killed this year in car crashes in New Hampshire. 9 of the fatalities. were from last weekend. The New Hampshire Department of Highway Safety

Nine separate car crashes over the past weekend killed 10 people across New Hampshire, state officials say. The causes of each crash are currently under investigation by state law enforcement agencies.

In a statement released Tuesday, New Hampshire Department of Safety (NHDS) Assistant Commissioner Eddie Edwards says the crashes could have been prevented by “better decision making.” He’s asking all residents and visitors to abide by posted speed limits, put their cell phones away, and to not drive under the influence.

The @NH_OHS is asking all drivers in New Hampshire to rethink their driving habits after nine crashes in four days resulted in 10 deaths.
As of 7/15, 64 lives have been lost in 59 crashes on #NH roads so far in 2024, marking a 10% increase in crash deaths compared to 2023. pic.twitter.com/0SN9RZqxuF
— NH Office of Highway Safety (@nh_ohs) July 16, 2024

“What’s happening on our roads is alarming and has resulted in tragic consequences,” Edwards said in the statement.

From July 12 to July 15, 10 people died in nine crashes in the state.

Edwards confirmed the fatal crashes took place in Alton, Belmont, Center Conway, Concord, Gilford, Hampton Falls, Jaffrey, and Loudon.

State Police Colonel Mark Hall says his department and the NHDS will increase their presence on major state arteries and highways.

“Let’s work together to make our roads safer for everyone,” Hall said in a statement. He says he encourages drivers to “do their part” in maintaining safe roads.

The NDHS says 64 people were killed by a car crash in New Hampshire this year. A report from the New Hampshire Highway Safety Improvement Program noted a drastic increase in crash-related fatalities in recent years, jumping from 100 in 2019 to 146 in 2022.

Source link

New Hampshire

Concord Couple Arrested After Child Sexual Abuse Images Investigation

Published

8 hours ago

July 16, 2024

Press Room

Concord Couple Arrested After Child Sexual Abuse Images Investigation

CONCORD, NH — A couple from Concord were arrested last week after a child sexual abuse images investigation in the South End.

On July 10, Concord police and the NH Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force searched a home on Bow Street across from Rollins Park as part of a multi-month investigation also involving the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Division for Children, Youth, and Families. After the search, Dylan Simms, 27, of Centre Street in Concord was arrested on three felony distribution of child sexual abuse images charges. Also arrested was Meredith Simms, 36, of Bow Street in Concord on a felony count of tampering with witnesses and informants and a hindering apprehension or prosecution charge.

According to court documents, the videos involved a woman sexually assaulting a boy and sexually assaulting a girl, as well as a girl performing gymnastics, without wearing any clothes, in a lewd manner. After the arrests, documents involving the case were sealed due to its disturbing content. The case started after a cyber tip in February, according to police.

Dylan Simms was held on preventative detention and was arraigned Monday in Concord District Court; Meredith Simms was released on personal recognizance.

The criminal history of Dylan Simms dates back about a decade to when he was a homeless teen in the area, according to posts on Patch and court documents.

Those charges include felony criminal mischief, controlled drug: obtain-buy fake drug, possession of amphetamine, receiving stolen property, unsworn falsification, false report to law enforcement, possession of prescription drugs without a script, possession of controlled drugs, unlawful possession of alcohol, and warrant arrests.

According to Meredith Simms’ LinkedIn profile, she is or was employed as a visitor services assistant at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, a popular local attraction for children. Jeanne Gerulskis, the executive director of the center, did not return an email seeking information about Meredith Simms’ employment status at post time. According to Meredith Simms’ Facebook page, the couple were married in 2019. She was previously arrested for theft in November 2019 and theft in October 2011 in Concord.

Police, in a Concord Regional Crimeline alert, said the department was continuing to investigate the case and asked anyone with information to contact Det. KristieAnn DeSilvio of the Criminal Investigations Division at 603-225-8600. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Concord Regional Crimeline at 603-226-3100 or online at www.concordregionalcrimeline.com.

Do you have a news tip? Please email it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella’s YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel. Follow the NH politics Twitter account @NHPatchPolitics for all our campaign coverage.

Source link

New Hampshire

Pappas Case Highlights Success Of Biden's Strategy To Stay On Ticket

Published

15 hours ago

July 16, 2024

Press Room

Pappas Case Highlights Success Of Biden's Strategy To Stay On Ticket

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

On paper, U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) should be one of the congressional Democrats publicly calling for his party to push President Joe Biden off the 2024 ticket.

Pappas styles himself as an independent voice in his party, touting his recently-awarded title of “the most bipartisan member of the House.” His district is (once again on paper) even split between Republican and Democratic voters, according to the most recent Cook Political Voting Index. Donald Trump narrowly won the district in 2016, then lost it handily to Joe Biden in 2020.

Find out what’s happening in Merrimackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

So, when reports began to circulate that moderate Democrats in swing districts were considering releasing a letter calling for Democrats to abandon Biden’s candidacy in the wake of his debate performance fiasco, the assumption was that Pappas would be on the list.

And unlike his fellow Granite State Democrat, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, Pappas hasn’t praised Biden or pledged his support since the debate. Instead, Pappas had a carefully measured response:

Find out what’s happening in Merrimackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“People were disappointed with what they saw last week, and I think it’s up to President Biden to answer what kind of path he can be on for the future to restore confidence or to pass the torch,” he told WMUR.

But nearly two weeks after Biden’s debate performance that left between 70 and 80 percent of Americans telling pollsters he’s not physically and mentally fit to serve, Pappas is still silent. When approached earlier this week and asked directly if he believes Biden is up to the job (see video), Pappas just kept walking.

He’s also declined to respond to approximately a dozen requests for comment about the ability of Biden to serve another four years as chief executive.

“He got the message: ‘Fall in line, Buttercup,’” a New Hampshire Democratic activist told NHJournal on background.

The Pappas case echoes recent developments out of Washington, D.C. A week ago, many campaign professionals were saying publicly that Biden would be forced out, and the biggest push would come from congressional Democrats in competitive districts.

Now the headlines read, “How Biden Froze Capitol Hill — For Now,” and “Democrats Effort to Push Biden Off Ticket Hits Uncertainty.”

And Axios reported a Tuesday morning meeting of swing-district Democrats involved “actual tears” as they acknowledged their colleagues were going to stand behind Biden.

According to Axios, the mood among these vulnerable Democrats was “pretty much unanimous” that Biden has “got to step down,” adding, “There were actual tears from people, and not for Biden.”

Instead, they concluded “Most of our caucus is still with him … meaning he’ll stay in. Which sucks for our country,” one House Democrat told them.

However, a ninth House member, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), publicly call for a new presidential nominee on Tuesday. Like Pappas, she’s in a swing district in the northeast.

With Biden adamantly declaring he’s not stepping down, and top Democrats appearing to rally around him, more people in the party appear to believe the political risks are too high.

“I wish I was more brave,” one Democratic state party chair who thinks Biden should step aside told NBC News.

“I would be crucified by them if I spoke out of line,” the chair continued. “I know when you get out of line they all of a sudden have a shift of priorities and your races, your state is no longer on the map.”

Therefore, the argument goes, why should Pappas break with the pack? He may agree with most Americans that Biden is too infirm to serve, but saying so won’t help him in November.

Then again, it may not matter.

“Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election and maybe win it by a landslide and take with him the Senate and the House,” said U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) in a CNN interview Tuesday night.

Pappas declined to comment for this article.

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.

Source link