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New Hampshire, State Senate, District 12

New Hampshire State Senate District 12
Current incumbentMelanie Levesque Democratic Party

New Hampshire's twelfth state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Melanie Levesque.

New Hampshire state senators represent an average of 54,853 residents, as of the 2010 Census. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 51,491 residents.

About the office

Members of the New Hampshire State Senate serve two-year terms and are not subject to term limits. New Hampshire legislators assume office the month after elections (December).

Qualifications

To be eligible to serve in the New Hampshire Senate, a candidate must be:

  • At least thirty years of age
  • A resident of the state for seven years immediately preceding the election
  • An inhabitant of the district for which they are chosen

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$200/two-year termNo per diem is paid.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the New Hampshire General Court, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. To fill a Senate or House vacancy, a town or city in the district must first make a formal request to the governor and executive council for a special election. The governor and council will approve or deny the request within 21 days and then set the filing deadline and election dates.

2016 pivot county

206 Pivot Counties Logo.png

This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.

The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of New Hampshire State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for September 8, 2020. The filing deadline is June 12, 2020.

2018

General election
General election for New Hampshire State Senate District 12

Melanie Levesque (D) defeated incumbent Kevin Avard (R) in the general election for New Hampshire State Senate District 12 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Melanie Levesque (D)
50.3
12,553

Kevin Avard (R)
49.7
12,384

Total votes: 24,937
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New Hampshire State Senate District 12

Melanie Levesque defeated Tom Falter in the Democratic primary for New Hampshire State Senate District 12 on September 11, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Melanie Levesque (D)
79.4
3,727

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

Tom Falter (D)
20.6
969

Total votes: 4,696
Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Hampshire State Senate District 12

Incumbent Kevin Avard defeated Richard Dowd in the Republican primary for New Hampshire State Senate District 12 on September 11, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Kevin Avard (R)
76.1
3,274

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

Richard Dowd (R)
23.9
1,028

Total votes: 4,302

2016

Elections for the New Hampshire State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 10, 2016.

Incumbent Kevin Avard defeated Peggy Gilmour in the New Hampshire State Senate District 12 general election.

New Hampshire State Senate, District 12 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Kevin Avard Incumbent 51.32% 15,942
Democratic Peggy Gilmour 48.68% 15,120
Total Votes 31,062
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State

Peggy Gilmour ran unopposed in the New Hampshire State Senate District 12 Democratic primary.

New Hampshire State Senate, District 12 Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Peggy Gilmour (unopposed)

Incumbent Kevin Avard ran unopposed in the New Hampshire State Senate District 12 Republican primary.

New Hampshire State Senate, District 12 Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Kevin Avard Incumbent (unopposed)

This district was included in the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee's list of "2016 Essential Races." Read more »

2014

Elections for the New Hampshire State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on September 9, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 13, 2014. Incumbent Peggy Gilmour was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Kevin Avard defeated Michael McCarthy in the Republican primary. Gilmour and Avard faced off in the general election. Challenger Avard defeated Gilmour in the general election.

New Hampshire State Senate, District 12 General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngKevin Avard 50.8% 10,839
Democratic Peggy Gilmour Incumbent 49.2% 10,517
Total Votes 21,356

New Hampshire State Senate, District 12 Republican Primary, 2014

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngKevin Avard 53.7% 2,651
Michael McCarthy 46.3% 2,284
Total Votes 4,935

2012

Elections for the office of New Hampshire State Senate consisted of a primary election on September 11, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 15, 2012. Peggy Gilmour (D) defeated incumbent Jim Luther (R) in the general election. Both candidates were unopposed in the September 11 primary elections.

New Hampshire State Senate, District 12, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngPeggy Gilmour 51.9% 15,245
Republican Jim Luther Incumbent 48.1% 14,101
Total Votes 29,346

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for New Hampshire State Senate District 12 raised a total of $1,263,997. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $50,560 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, New Hampshire State Senate District 12

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $150,037 2 $75,019
2014 $172,331 3 $57,444
2012 * $125,465 2 $62,733
2010 $106,130 3 $35,377
2008 $92,084 3 $30,695
2006 $170,893 2 $85,447
2004 $246,046 4 $61,512
2002 $67,755 3 $22,585
2000 $133,256 3 $44,419
Total $1,263,997 25 $50,560
* Campaign finance data for 2012 is incomplete for this district.