Hatfield Wins Sleepy Concord City Council Special Election

CONCORD, NH — Ward 4 has a new city councilor. Meredith Hatfield was elected in the June 4, 2019, special election edging two other candidates who were on the ballot. According to the Concord City Clerk’s Office, Hatfield received 149 votes.

John Cook, a former mayoral candidate, came in second with 99 votes while Edith Chiasson, who works for the state lottery, earned 51 votes. Turnout was about 10 percent.

Hatfield focused her campaign on transportation, development, and energy issues, and had the backing of a number of liberal activists in the West End and North End, as reflected by a number of letters in the Concord Monitor. Cook, meanwhile, received the endorsement of a former Ward 4 councilor, an active member of the city's GOP.

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Outside of the Boys & Girls Club on Bradley Street on Tuesday afternoon, the candidates and their supporters were spread out near the front parking spaces, holding signs and sharing pleasantries throughout the day. About 175 people had voted at that point including 15 new voters who had registered for the first time in the ward, according to election officials.

Chiasson was joined with her husband Ron, greeting voters. She also held a sign with a picture of her granddaughter holding a homemade sign promoting her campaign. Chiasson said she thought the experience was a good one.

“I think that I’m going to do well enough, for a first time out,” she stated strategically. “I really enjoyed the process and I believe that it is a very simple election in that we are just out here as neighbors helping neighbors. That’s what the whole story is about.”

A few feet away, Cook was seated with a couple of his supporters and said the turnout was pretty good, so far.

“People who I hoped would come – but didn’t think they would – have shown up,” he said.

The campaign was in the process of reaching out to more voters to remind them to get out and vote but he lamented that he thought Hatfield might have the edge.

“I think (she’s) got more, up to this point than I’ve got,” he said. “But, it’s going to be close, I hope.”

Cook predicted that about 400 votes would probably cast ballots when the election was over, more than during the March 5 special election, with was 227.

Hatfield said it was a fun experience, especially at the polls, hanging out with the other candidates and hearing their supporters’ issues. She was pleased also to receive a lot of “thumbs up” gestures she received.

“A few people did come up to me and say that they had just moved to the ward and were registering and were going to vote for me,” Hatfield said. “So, that’s good.”

The special election winner will only fill out the remaining months of the seat vacated by Byron Champlin, who was elected to an at-large seat in March. Voters go to the polls again on Nov. 5, for city council and school board races.