Race Is On in North Hampton School Elections

A former state representative will seek a spot on the North Hampton School Board against two incumbent candidates, setting the stage for the biggest contested race on the 2013 North Hampton ballot.

Judy Day, a Democrat who failed to regain her seat from incumbent State Rep. Michele Peckham in the November general election, will try her luck for a three-year term against school board incumbents Victoria Kilroy and Henry Marsh. Marsh is also running unopposed for reelection to the Winnacunnet School Board.

There is only one other contested race on the North Hampton ballot is a three-way race for two three-year terms on the North Hampton Zoning Board. Vice Chair David Buber and member Jonathan Pinette will seek reelection against alternate member George Lagassa.

All of the other races are uncontested bids, save for the town treasurer, which won't have a name on the ballot because no one registered for the position this year, according to North Hampton Town Clerk Sue Buchanan. Marcia Van Dyke is the current treasurer.

The apparent lack of interest could give selectmen an opportunity to do something that has failed to make it past town meeting the past two years: appoint the treasurer themselves.

Residents voted down a warrant article in both 2011 and 2012 that would've made the treasurer an appointed position instead of an elected one, granting the North Hampton Select Board the power to choose their desired candidate.

Selectmen have frequently expressed the desire to make this change over the past few years because they've claimed it would guarantee more accountability and stability for the town in the future, not to mention that it would allow North Hampton to have a fully-vetted hiring process to ensure the individual serving the role is fully qualified and experienced.

There will be a write-in option on the ballot, though, which means a last-minute candidate could secure the seat and stop the position from going unfilled. This scenario is similar to one that unfolded in North Hampton during the November general election.

The full list of North Hampton candidates is as follows, as provided by Buchanan:

One Select Board Member, 3 year term

Jim Maggiore

One Town Clerk/Tax Collector, 3 year term

Susan Buchanan

One Town Treasurer, 1 year term

(Blank)

One Trustee of the Public Library, 3 year term

John Kollmorgen

Two Budget Committee Members, 3 year term

David Peck

Robert Hamilton

One Trustee of Trust Funds, 3 year term

George T Chauncey

One Cemetery Trustee, 3 year term

Mary L Lambert

Two Planning Board Members, 3 year term

Michael Hornsby

Dan Derby

Two Zoning Board of Adjustment, 3 year term

David Buber

George K Lagassa

Jonathan Pinette

One Water Commissioner, 3 year term

Bob Landman

Two North Hampton School Board members, 3 year terms

Victoria Kilroy

Henry Marsh

Judy Day

One Winnacunnet School Board members, 3 year term

Henry Marsh

One Winnacunnet Budget Committee member, 3 year term

Richard Luff

One Winnacunnet School District Moderator, 1 year term

Robert Cushing