As Final Filing Day Approaches, Concord Municipal Races Get Crowded

CONCORD, NH — If anyone in Concord thought Jim Bouley stepping down as mayor would lead to another sleepy municipal election cycle, they would be wrong.

The city’s longest-serving mayor deciding not to run, as well as several significant issues facing the city — homelessness, drug addiction, crime, and the highest property taxes the city has ever seen, has led to a wave of candidates, some familiar and some not, running in 2023. On Thursday and Friday, more candidates for school board, mayor, and city council filed, leading to contested mayor and at large council races, all three Zone school board seats having competition, and five ward council seats being contested.

In other words, Concord voters, notorious for skipping out on voting during the odd-year elections, have no reason to stay home in November.

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In the mayor’s race, George Jack, who lives on Chablis Terrace and unsuccessfully ran for school board a decade ago, filed to run on Thursday, joining Byron Champlin, the first candidate to sign up, and Kate West.

On Thursday, Robert Avery and Jessica Campbell filed to run for the Zone A school board seat, while Sarah Beauregard and Steven Kazakis signed up on Friday. They join Michael Guglielmo, the first candidate to sign up for the seat.

Thinking about running for office in Concord in 2023? Let Patch know! Email me at tony.schinella@patch.com.

Campbell said when she heard about the open seat, she took some time to reflect on the position and if she could make a meaningful impact on the community.

“I didn’t want to make this big decision without ensuring my heart was in the right place and my family was supportive,” she said.

As a higher ed educator and professional, Campbell said she was “passionate about how our public education prepares our children for their futures.” She said the world was rapidly changing, but students had many opportunities. Campbell pointed to “ethnographic research and business administration, which translates into a decision-making process that balances fiscal responsibility and community impact.” She said bringing those skills to the board would continue “the strong foundation” already in place in the district “as we balance the growing needs of the district with the potential financial impacts to our community.”

Campbell also said she loved the city. She and her family moved to Concord from six hours away without knowing anyone and found a strong network of support that welcomed them.

“I hope to pass that on and continue Concord’s tradition of fostering a welcoming environment for all our kids and community members,” she said.

Beauregard said there were many struggles in the school system and after thinking about the future — “our school district, about my kids, their future, and most importantly their education,” she decided to run.

Beauregard grew up in Concord and had parents who were active in the community and instilled a commitment to volunteer and be involved. She began coaching youth soccer before she had her children (she currently coaches lacrosse). Beauregard has lived in Ward 4 for about 14 years and has been active on the Friends of White Park board, including raising money for a new playground. She is also in the Concord High School wrestling booster club, a treasurer of Concord Crush Lacrosse, and a member of the Women’s Club of Concord.

“My goal is to set a strong example for my children by dedicating myself to my community,” Beauregard said. “I hope that through this act of service, I will be able to make a positive impact on their lives and every child.”

Also on Friday, Peteris Surmanis, a business process expert who serves on the Committee for Concord’s Plan to End Homelessness, filed to run for the Zone C seat. Brenda Hastings, the incumbent, was the first to sign up for the seat.

Zone B also has two candidates: Liz Boucher and G. Bruce “Gib” West.

On Thursday and Friday, four ward city council candidates signed up to run: Rob Kleiner in Ward 2, who had previously announced he would be running; Ward 6 City Councilor Paula McLaughlin, who also said she was planning on running again; and Andrew Georgevits and Kris Schultz both signed up to run for the open Ward 9 seat.

Former school board member Tom Croteau has also signed up to run as school board treasurer.

No new candidates filed for the two at-large council seats, but there are five contenders — Nathan Fennessy, the incumbent, Taylor Hall, Matthew Hicks, Judith Kurtz, and Kevin Porter.

Only Beauregard and Campbell responded to emails seeking comment about their races.

Signup Info

The last day to file for board of education or city seats is Monday, Sept. 18.

School board filings occur at the SAU 8 district office at 38 Liberty St until 4 p.m. The filing fee is $5.

Three seats are up in November: Zone A, representing Wards 1, 2, 3, and 4; Zone B, which covers Wards 5, 6, and 7; and Zone C, for Wards 8, 9, and 10. All three terms end on Dec. 31.

The treasurer position is also up for a three-year term.

To serve, a candidate must be a registered voter of the Concord School District and domiciled in the school voting zone. According to the district’s charter, zone members cannot serve if they fail to maintain a domicile (residency) in the district.

Filing by candidates for the mayor’s race, city council, and ward officials also ends Monday. The fee is $5 to run for mayor and city council; $1 for a ward official.

Filing will be held at the Concord City Clerk’s Office at 41 Green St. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Candidates can also obtain ballot access via a signature petition drive.

Potential candidates must live in the city and the ward they are a candidate in to be elected.

Free Profiles & Debates

Once again, for the 2023 election cycle, Concord NH Patch will offer candidates free profiles before the election and will team up with partners to bring voters debates for competitive races.

Concord TV has agreed to allow Patch to use its studios for recorded debates between the candidates. The nonprofit will also be posting the videos on its YouTube.com site. The New England Take podcast, based out of Concord, will also share the information with its audience.

More information about debates will be forthcoming.

Candidates will also be allowed to put together a free Patch Candidate Profile. Fill out the g-doc here, after nominations have been confirmed.

Have you got a news tip? Please send it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel. Check out the #FITN2024 NH Patch post channel and follow our politics Twitter account @NHPatchPolitics for all our campaign coverage.