Michael Epright said he will not vote for any of the Senate or congressional candidates on his primary ballot, and he will write his own name in for the 2nd Congressional District and U.S. Senate races in New Hampshire primary election results. The Epsom voter said, "I'm disgusted with all of them."
Michael Epright in Epsom
Epright said, "When I don't believe anybody could do a better job than I do, I write myself in," and added, "I don't like the inability to come to a conclusion or a solution." His comments reflect one side of the polling-place reaction: not just dislike for the candidates, but a decision to avoid choosing among them.
He also said his property taxes are already so high that he voted for state lawmakers he believes will fend off any attempts to increase or add additional taxes. That put a local fiscal concern into the same ballot decision that included the Senate and congressional races.
Chris Pappas and John E. Sununu
Other voters said they were thinking less about the primary itself and more about November. Bob Lyon in Loudon said he is banking on Congressman Chris Pappas to beat the Republican candidate in November, adding, "I'm comfortable with him, and I know that he will be the candidate in the fall."
Bill Horan in Epsom said former senator John E. Sununu is the right candidate to face a Democrat in the general election, not Scott Brown. Van Mosher in Bow said, "The Senate race is the biggest one and I went with Sununu, but I have Brown stickers and Sununu stickers so I am ready to go either way."
Public education in Concord
Betty Nichols in Concord said she is concerned that the state's school voucher-like program is taking money away from public education. She said, "Public education is huge for me" and "I don't agree with the way it's being funded." Her concern points to why some voters treated the ballot as a test of broader policy priorities, not just candidate preference.
Several town moderators around the state said primaries often have a light turnout, especially when it isn't a presidential election year. In that setting, the polling-place comments showed a mix of distrust, disgust, and strategic voting, with some voters backing the candidates they believed were best positioned for November.
Jeanne Shaheen is retiring from her seat, leaving the Senate race open and making the choice in the primary part of the broader contest that voters in New Hampshire will carry into November.
