By Gabriel Perry, Laconia Daily Sun
Intro
New Hampshire isn’t the only state that incorporates an Executive Council into its executive branch of government — Massachusetts does as well — but the version operating in the Granite State is unique and wields significant influence over the long-term vision and yearly operations of the state government.
What do executive councilors do?
The Executive Council, part of what’s often referred to as the “Governor and Executive Council,” is a five-member body charged with assisting the governor in the execution of his or her duties in coordination with state agencies. In Massachusetts, the executive council is purely an advisory body to the governor, but in New Hampshire, it works with the governor and shares duties and responsibilities.
Executive councilors have the duty and authority to administer the operations of the state of New Hampshire according to the state Constitution, New Hampshire state law and opinions rendered by the state Supreme Court and attorney general in collaboration with the elected governor.
The council and governor appoint individuals to fill many vacant positions within state government, including judges, agency directors and commissioners, and the state attorney general. Uniquely, the Executive Council has veto power against actions taken by the governor.
Executive councilors have a lot of influence regarding the state’s long-term development because they award state contracts, one of their primary responsibilities.
Each state department or agency is required to seek councilors’ approval of receipt and expenditure of state and federal funds, budgetary transfers within the department, and personal service contracts with a value of $10,000 and all contracts with a value of $10,000. They approve, to a large extent, use of the money appropriated by the state Legislature each year.
What’s the electoral process?
Executive councilors serve two-year terms, just as the governor does. Each of the five executive councilors represent a district, and each district has about one-fifth of the state population. A candidate for the executive council must be at least 30 years old, a registered voter, and domiciled in New Hampshire for at least seven years. A candidate must live in the district he or she wants to represent.
This year’s races
In District 1, Joseph Kenney (R) is running for reelection. Emmett Soldati is seeking the Democratic nomination in the primary election.
District 2 Councilor Cinde Warmington, the only Democrat on the Executive Council, is running for governor this fall. Four candidates have filed for the District 2 seat.
In District 3, Republican Janet Stevens is seeking reelection. Democrat Jon Morgan is seeking his party’s nomination.
District 4 Councilor Theodore Gatsas, a Republican, announced his intention to retire and is not running again. One Democrat and six Republicans have filed for the seat.
In District 5, incumbent Republican Dave Wheeler is seeking reelection. Democrats Shoshanna Kelly and Melanie Levesque are seeking their party’s primary nomination.
The Know Your Vote, youth voter guide project was designed, reported and produced by student and young professional journalists from The Clock,The Concord Monitor, The Equinox, Granite State News Collaborative, Keene State College, The Laconia Daily Sun, The Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, Nashua Ink Link and The Presidency and the Press program at Franklin Pierce University. See the full guide at www.collaborativenh.org/know-your-vote.