Two Democrats running for state rep. for Dover Ward 4, Lee, Madbury seat

Ian Lenahan, Foster's Daily Democrat
·2 min read

LEE — Two Democrats from Lee have filed to run for the open Strafford County District 11 New Hampshire House of Representative seats following the death of late Rep. Hoy Robert Menear III last month.

Candidates Erik Johnson and Jeffrey C. Salloway will vie for the available House seat in the winter, with a primary election to be held Jan. 23, the same day as the New Hampshire presidential primary. according to the secretary of state’s office. The special election will be held March 12, the same day as Lee’s town elections, per the request of officials in Dover. The election filing period ended Friday.

District 11 comprises Dover Ward 4 (one of six voting wards in the city), and the towns of Lee and Madbury.

Assistant New Hampshire Secretary of State Kaley Dion reported Johnson and Salloway will both appear on the Democratic primary ballot. A Republican ballot will be available for write-in candidates in the primary.

According to Dion, the March 12 special election ballot will include the name of the winner of the primary matchup, alongside a blank Republican column and a write-in candidate section.

More: One Dover burglary suspect arrested. Police seek help finding alleged accomplice.

Menear, a Democrat, served on the House’s State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs committees. He was one of three Democrats representing District 11 in the chamber, a group including Thomas Southworth of Dover and Janet Wall of Madbury.

Last month, the Dover City Council approved a motion calling for a request to be sent to Concord officials to have the special election held in March. The New Hampshire Executive Council and Gov. Chris Sununu later approved the council’s request in late November.

The state House of Representative clerk’s most recent membership update notes that Republicans hold a slim majority in the chamber, with 198 to 195 Democrats following former Portsmouth-Newington state Rep. Robin Vogt’s Dec. 1 resignation. Three sitting state representatives are independents.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Two Democrats running for Dover, Lee, Madbury NH House seat