Town and city government
Local officials handle municipal budgets, zoning, roads, public safety, libraries, local boards, and many services you see close to home.
Civic Basics
New Hampshire state government is closer to your daily life than it looks.
Your state representative and state senator vote on schools, housing, taxes, healthcare, civil rights, environmental rules, and local control. They are also much more accessible than most people realize.
Find your representativesLevels of Government
Who does what?
School districts
School boards and district voters shape local school budgets, policies, staffing, facilities, and curriculum decisions.
County government
Counties operate things like nursing homes, correctional facilities, sheriffs, registries of deeds, and county budgets.
The General Court
The New Hampshire House and Senate write state law, pass the state budget, set statewide rules, and decide how much authority and funding flows to local communities.
Governor and Executive Council
The governor signs or vetoes bills. The Executive Council votes on major contracts, appointments, and some spending decisions.
Congress and federal agencies
Federal officials handle national laws, federal funding, courts, defense, immigration, and programs that operate across states.
Why State Legislators Matter
State reps and senators can change your everyday life fast.
New Hampshire has a large citizen legislature. That means your state representative and state senator are often neighbors, volunteers, retirees, small business owners, parents, or local officials. They usually do not have huge staffs or layers of gatekeepers.
Their votes can affect property taxes, school funding, rental and housing policy, healthcare access, public assistance, environmental protections, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rules, and what powers towns and cities have to solve local problems.
Tracked Votes
Recent votes connect state government to real life.
These examples come from the bill tracker. They show how a roll call vote is not just a procedural moment at the State House. It can shape public schools, household costs, rights, services, and local control.
HB115 Vote 64
HB115: Universal Voucher System
This bill expands or creates universal education vouchers (EFAs) redirecting public funds to private/alternative schooling.
- Preferred stance
- Nay
- Yea vote
- Anti-Public Education
- Nay vote
- Pro-Public Education
Yea impact: Expanded universal school vouchers and increased taxpayer funding for private education.
Nay impact: Preserved income limits on school vouchers and protected existing public education funding.
HB155 Vote 39
HB155: Corporate Tax Cuts
HB 155 is a corporate tax cut that shifts costs onto everyday Granite Staters. While it is framed as a pro-business measure, its real impact is higher pressure on local budgets and higher property taxes for residents.
- Preferred stance
- Nay
- Yea vote
- Pro-Corporate Tax Cuts
- Nay vote
- Opposes Corporate Tax Cuts
Yea impact: Reduced business taxes and decreased state revenue.
Nay impact: Preserved existing business tax rates and state revenue.
HB1792 Vote 89
HB1792: Education Censorship and Classroom Lawsuit Act
This bill prohibits public schools and teachers from teaching or affirming concepts related to critical race theory, LGBTQ+ identities, and certain identity-based frameworks, and allows parents or students to sue schools for alleged violations.
- Preferred stance
- Nay
- Yea vote
- Pro-Classroom Censorship
- Nay vote
- Anti-Classroom Censorship
Yea impact: Restricted classroom discussions on specified topics and expanded legal liability for educators and school districts.
Nay impact: Preserved existing curriculum standards and educators' ability to teach these topics without new legal penalties.