Merrimack Election Guide

As we look ahead to November's elections, Merrimack Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about the races. Here are five races/issues that we will be following through the November elections.

Obama vs. Romney. This is obviously the big one. Both candidates understand the importance of winning New Hampshire's four Electoral College votes in November, which is why the state  or stump pretty aggressively this year. Obama is visiting June 25.

Dwyer for Senate. After Senate redistricting in the state earlier this year, Town Councilor Dan Dwyer, will go head to head with Senate President Peter Bragdon in a race to represent the new District 11. B, while back in March. The newly formed District 11 encompasses Merrimack, Amherst, Milford and Wilton.

Another Term for Guinta? The first-term congressman just announced he will , but he will face a strong challenge from Democrat Carol Shea-Porter. Guinta took Shea-Porter's seat from her in the 2010 elections.

State Rep. scramble.With eight seats up for grabs in the November election, there are a opinions to be had on the issues facing the state and Merrimack. Ten candidates on the Republican ticket (seven of them incumbents) means there will be a race for the September primary, shaving two of the ticket. The all-Republican slate of state representatives will be challenged by six Democrats. On the tickets are: Republicans Richard Barry, Tracy Alan Coyer, Dick Hinch, Jeanine Notter, Daniel Oberlander, Tony Pellegrino, Lenette M. Peterson, Phil Straight, Kathleen Stroud and Joseph D. Thomas and Democrats: Evan Fulmer, Brenda Ellen Grady, John J. Grady, Kim Kojak, Jo Ann Rotast and Jack Rothman.

Topical tolls? After another failed attempt at toll removal on Merrimack's F.E. Everett Turnpike off ramps, we will be interested to see how the tolls play a part in the state representative and senate campaigns. Milford's Bragdon came to Merrimack's aide during a in February, how will he and Dwyer approach the issue in their campaigns? And with 16 people opining about the subject on the representative side, perhaps we'll see some creative approaches to the long-time hot button issue.