Economy a top concern of NH voters at the polls
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Nov. 8—Inflation and the economy drove many voters' decisions as they cast ballots Tuesday in several close contests for the U.S. House and Senate.
"The gas prices, oil for our home, I think it's terrible," said Linda Bowen, 75, a registered Republican who voted straight GOP in Manchester's Ward 6. "A lot of people I've talked to are tired of the prices, especially for gas and groceries."
Samantha Selimovic, 27, registered as a first-time voter Tuesday.
Her top concern: "Inflation, gas, food. Just the cost of living. It's terrible," Selimovic said.
For the most part, she said, "I'm going to vote for the opposite party who caused this inflation."
Securing the nation's borders against illegal immigration, concerns over preserving democracy and protecting the right to have an abortion were other chief concerns of some voters.
Deana Sweeney, 61, registered undeclared, said abortion was her top issue. She backed pro-choice candidates.
She wished the political climate was more welcoming of political collaboration by the two parties.
"I just wish there is a center, a center on all the issues, that they would talk to each other," Sweeney said.
Heavy turnout
Secretary of State David Scanlan predicted New Hampshire voters would set a record turnout for a midterm with 591,000 ballots cast, breaking the mark of 580,214 set in 2018.
Several town clerks in southern tier suburbs such as Merrimack, Derry, Auburn, Bedford and Salem late Tuesday afternoon reported they were on track to go well above the 2018 turnout totals.
As a result, the Democratic campaigns of Sen. Maggie Hassan and Congressman Chris Pappas along with Republican challengers Don Bolduc and Karoline Leavitt spoke with one voice about one thing.
They all urged their supporters to stay in line late Tuesday even after the hour the polls were to close.
In Derry, social media commenters reported heavy traffic leading to the Calvary Bible Church on Hampstead Road, the sole polling place in the town of more than 34,000.
In past years, Derry has had multiple voting sites, including at Pinkerton Academy.
Commenters also reported waiting in traffic for up to two hours, and that while waiting in traffic saw many cars turn around. There were also complaints about limited parking at the site.
In Manchester's Ward 6, moderator Louise Gosselin said the polls at Henry J. McLaughlin Jr. Middle School were "extremely busy," and she called turnout higher than normal for a midterm election. More than 1,200 people — more than 20% of registered voters — cast ballots in the first four hours of voting in a ward with only 15 more registered Republicans than Democrats heading into Tuesday's vote.
Decisions to make
Over in Ward 3, retired baker and registered Republican Lorraine Hartofelis, 88, voted for Democrats Chris Pappas in the 1st Congressional District and Maggie Hassan for U.S. Senate after watching all the debates.
"I think Karoline (Leavitt) is too young," Hartofelis said of Pappas's Republican opponent.
"I think she has a lot to learn, and she is a little gung ho," Hartofelis said outside the Ward 3 polls at the Carol Rines Center on Elm Street.
Social Security was the top issue for Hartofelis, who relies on the checks each month.
"And inflation is out of control," she said.
Although she cares about border security, she said Republican Senate nominee Don Bolduc contradicted himself too much. "I never would have voted for him. Hassan has a proven record," she said.
A retired truck driver and World War II veteran, registered Republican Bertrand Gosselin, 94, went the other way and voted for Bolduc and Leavitt, citing the border and the economy.
"The border should have been closed a long time ago, and we wouldn't have this problem that we have now. We have some people who want to keep it open, and oh, God, the people who are being let in have no idea as to what America is," he said. "They are jumping the border, and they are coming in and they shouldn't have been let in."
As for Leavitt, "We need new blood. We need a new outlook."
Back at Ward 6, registered Republican John Kovacs, 65, a retired state corrections officer, voted straight Republican.
The state of the economy and policing the nation's borders against illegal immigration were his top issues.
"We need to secure our borders," Kovacs said.
Linda Jones, 67, who works at the Moore Center, said "democracy at risk" was her top motivation to vote.
Jones cited election "deniers" who claim former President Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election. Bolduc initially said Trump won the 2020 election and later switched his position to say President Joe Biden had legitimately won the White House.
Jones, who voted straight Democrat, said the economy's troubles are global.
"It's throughout the whole planet," she said. "It's not any party's fault. It's all connected with the pandemic."
Realtor Jen Bowles, 38, said she split her ticket.
"The economy is a huge factor," she said.
Arthur Lawrence, in his 70s, said he voted for Bolduc at least partly because Sen. Maggie Hassan's record "is completely contrary to her advertisements."
"I look for character, and I look for substance," he said.
In Bedford, Dylan Vilela, 18, a senior at Bedford High School, voted the Republican ticket in his first general election. He came in support of Gov. Chris Sununu, who happened to be at the Bedford polls at the same time, and said hello.
On a national level, he said the border and inflation are issues he follows closely.
"I just think that a lot of the Democrats in office are recklessly spending on things they shouldn't be spending on," Vilela said.
Holding a sign that read "vote blue" at Bedford High School, Kim Yang, 22, said she would vote straight Democrat. She is looking to go to graduate school.
"Being an Asian American woman, I've always felt that Democrats have just understood what it takes to not only unite minorities but make us feel seen and represented," she said.
She liked how Hassan and Pappas remain committed to women's rights after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Public education is also important to Wang.
"Watching bills like divisive concepts bill come to Congress has been very disheartening, knowing that teachers can be threatened and prosecuted for just attempting to teach things to students," she said.
At the Ward 3 polls at the Carol Rines Center in Manchester, Michael Kapos, a hairdresser, did not want to reveal who he voted for, though he said he is a registered Democrat.
"I vote every time, and I vote for the best person who will do the job," he said. "I vote for Republicans and Democrats. I vote for the person, not the party."
He hates all the attack advertisements, calling the ones this cycle more feisty than normal.
"I am glad this is the last day," he said. "I won't have to see any more commercials."
