Government of New Hampshire facts for kids
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| Polity type | Sub-national administrative division (federated state) |
|---|---|
| Part of | United States of America |
| Constitution | Constitution of New Hampshire |
| Legislative branch | |
| Name | General Court |
| Type | Bicameral |
| Meeting place | New Hampshire State House |
| Upper house | |
| Name | Senate |
| Presiding officer | Jeb Bradley, President |
| Lower house | |
| Name | House of Representatives |
| Presiding officer | Sherman Packard, Speaker |
| Executive branch | |
| Head of State and Government | |
| Title | Governor |
| Currently | Kelly Ayotte |
| Appointer | Election |
| Cabinet | |
| Leader | Governor |
| Deputy leader | President of the Senate |
| Headquarters | State House |
| Judicial branch | |
| Name | Judiciary of New Hampshire |
| Chief Justice | Gordon MacDonald |
| Courts | Courts of New Hampshire |
| New Hampshire Supreme Court | |
| Chief judge | Gordon J. MacDonald |
| Seat | Concord |
The State of New Hampshire has a republican style of government. This means citizens elect representatives to make decisions for them. New Hampshire's government is set up much like the Government of the United States. It has three main parts, called branches, to make sure power is shared and balanced.
These branches are:
- The Executive Branch: This branch carries out the laws. It includes the Governor of New Hampshire, the elected Executive Council, and various state agencies.
- The Legislative Branch: This branch makes the laws. It's called the New Hampshire General Court. It has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
- The Judicial Branch: This branch interprets the laws. It includes the Supreme Court of New Hampshire and other courts.
The capital city of New Hampshire is Concord. The Governor's office and both parts of the legislature are located in the State House in Concord. The state Supreme Court and other offices are also nearby.
Contents
How New Hampshire Connects to the U.S. Government
Like all states, New Hampshire sends people to represent it in the U.S. government.
Representatives in Congress
New Hampshire has two senators in the U.S. Senate. It also has two members in the U.S. House of Representatives. These numbers are based on how many people live in the state, according to the U.S. census.
Congressional Districts
New Hampshire is divided into two areas called congressional districts. Each district elects one person to the U.S. House of Representatives.
- The 1st congressional district covers the eastern part of the state. This includes Carroll and Strafford counties. It also includes parts of Belknap, Hillsborough, Merrimack, and most of Rockingham County.
- The 2nd congressional district covers the rest of the state. This is the area to the west and north of the 1st district.
Electoral College Votes
New Hampshire has four votes in the Electoral College. This number comes from adding its two U.S. Senators and two U.S. House members. In presidential elections, the candidate who wins the most votes in New Hampshire usually gets all four of the state's electoral votes.
Federal Courts in New Hampshire
New Hampshire is part of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire. This is where federal legal cases in the state begin. If someone wants to appeal a decision from this court, their case goes to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston.
Important State Documents
New Hampshire's Constitution
New Hampshire is guided by its own constitution, which was written in 1783. This constitution has two main parts: a Bill of Rights and a section on how the government works. Unlike the United States Constitution, changes (amendments) to New Hampshire's constitution are added directly into the text. It's one of the few state constitutions that mentions the idea of a "right of revolution". This means people have a right to change their government if it's not serving them well.
The state constitution does not directly say that public schools are required. However, in 1993, the state's Supreme Court decided that the constitution's duty to "cherish the interest of...public schools" means the state must define and pay for equal public schools across the state. This ruling is known as the Claremont suit.
State Laws
The main collection of New Hampshire's laws is called the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated of 1955.
New Hampshire has some unique laws compared to other states. For example, it used to be the only state without a law requiring seatbelts or motorcycle helmets for adults. Now, people under 18 must use them. Drivers don't need to have car insurance, but they must show they can pay for damages if they cause an accident.
New Hampshire is also a "constitutional carry" state. This means people can carry guns openly or hidden without needing a special permit. The state also has "stand your ground" laws, which allow people to use force to protect themselves or their property.
In 2010, same-sex marriage became legal in New Hampshire, giving all couples the same rights related to marriage. The state also used to have the death penalty for certain serious crimes, but it no longer does.
New Hampshire was the last state in the country to require public kindergarten, which became mandatory in 2007.
Administrative Rules
State agencies also create rules, which are collected in the New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules. These rules help agencies carry out the laws passed by the legislature.
How the Government Works
The Legislative Branch: Making Laws
The law-making body in New Hampshire is called the General Court. It has two parts:
- The House of Representatives: This is a very large group with 400 members.
- The Senate: This is a smaller group with 24 members.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is one of the largest law-making bodies in the world. Its size was set between 375 and 400 members in 1942. Today, there is about one representative for every 3,505 residents.
State legislators are paid only $200 for their two-year term, plus money for travel. This means they are mostly volunteers. Many members of the House are retired.
The Executive Branch: Carrying Out Laws
The Executive Branch is responsible for putting state laws into action. It includes the Governor, the Executive Council, and various state agencies. The Governor is the top leader of this branch.
The current Governor is Kelly Ayotte.
Unlike most other states, New Hampshire's Governor shares power with the Executive Council. The Governor leads the Council, and they must agree on things like state contracts over $5,000, important appointments to state jobs, and pardons (forgiving someone for a crime). However, the Governor can use their veto power (to reject a bill) and command the National Guard without the Council's approval.
Both the Governor and the Council members are elected for two-year terms. New Hampshire and Vermont are the only states where governors serve two-year terms instead of four.
New Hampshire does not have a Lieutenant Governor. If the Governor is out of the state or cannot do their job, the Senate President steps in as Acting Governor. After the Senate President, the Speaker of the House, the Secretary of State, and the State Treasurer are next in line.
The Judicial Branch: Interpreting Laws
The state's highest court is the New Hampshire Supreme Court. The Chief Justice leads the judiciary and, along with the other Supreme Court justices, oversees all the courts.
New Hampshire has several other courts:
- The Superior Court: This court handles serious civil and criminal cases. It is the only court that holds jury trials.
- The Probate Court: This court deals with things like wills, estates, adoptions, name changes, and guardianship for adults and minors.
- The District Court: This court hears cases about families, young people, minor crimes, and civil matters involving smaller amounts of money.
- The Family Division: This court handles cases related to divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence, and issues involving children.
Political Parties in New Hampshire
Voter Registration
In New Hampshire, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are the only official parties. This means the state holds primary elections for them and lists their candidates on the general election ballot. Smaller parties must get at least 4% of the votes in a statewide or Congressional election to become official.
If you register with an official political party, you can only vote in that party's primary election. However, voters registered as "independent" can choose to vote in any party's primary. After voting, they are automatically registered with that party, but they can change their registration back to independent if they wish.
Primary Elections
New Hampshire is famous for its early New Hampshire presidential primary. This election happens very early in the four-year presidential election cycle. State law says it must be held at least seven days before any other state's similar election.
For all other political jobs, nominations are decided in a separate primary election held in September of election years.
Local Government in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's local governments get their powers directly from the state. This means they can only do what the state laws allow them to do.
Cities and Towns
New Hampshire has 13 cities and 221 towns, plus 25 areas that are not part of any city or town.
- Cities are usually run by a Board of Aldermen or City Councils.
- Towns are usually run by a Board of Selectmen. Larger towns might have a Town Council.
The Town Meeting is a unique part of New Hampshire's local government. Every registered voter in a town can attend and vote on local laws and the budget. Town Meetings happen once a year, usually in March, to decide the year's budget. Special meetings can be called for urgent matters.
Voting on Budgets (SB 2)
Since 1995, towns can choose to use a process called "Official Ballot Referenda," also known as SB 2. In these towns, the Town Meeting discusses and decides the wording of each item to be voted on. However, the final decision on the budget and other matters is made by secret ballot at the same time people vote for town officers.
School Districts
School districts are separate from town governments. They have their own budgets and elected officials. Towns often join together to form School Administrative Units (SAUs) to manage high schools or all schools.
Counties
New Hampshire is divided into 10 counties. Counties have a sheriff's department for law enforcement in rural areas and a jail. They might also offer services like nursing homes or social services.
The county's law-making body is the County Convention. This group is made up of all the state representatives elected from that county. The county's executive power is held by an elected Board of Commissioners.
How Local Governments are Funded
Most local governments in New Hampshire get their money mainly from a property tax. This tax is based on the value of property owned by people and businesses in the area. The total budget approved by the local government is divided among all properties, so each owner pays a share based on their property's value.
Some properties or people might pay less tax, such as religious buildings, schools, charities, the poor, the elderly, and veterans.
A property owner receives a tax bill that shows how much tax goes to:
- The local city or town.
- Any special areas (precincts) that have higher taxes for local projects.
- The school district(s).
- The county.
- A statewide property tax. This tax was started in 2002 to help make education funding equal across the state.
The value of a property is regularly checked, usually every five years, to make sure it matches changes in the real estate market. Property owners can challenge their property's value if they disagree with it.
State Budget
New Hampshire's operating budget is planned for two years at a time. For example, the budget for July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2009, was for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 and FY2009.
Taxes in New Hampshire
New Hampshire does not have a general income tax or a general sales tax, which are common in many other U.S. states. However, it does have several other types of taxes:
- Interest & Dividends Tax: A tax on income from interest and dividends. This tax is set to end in 2025.
- Business Profits Tax
- Business Enterprise Tax: A tax on businesses, including small businesses run by individuals.
- Meals and Rentals Tax: An 8.5% sales tax on meals, car rentals, and hotel rooms.
- Tobacco Tax
- Real Estate Transfer Tax: A tax when property is sold.
- Timber Tax: A tax on cut timber.
- Gravel Tax: A tax on extracted gravel.
- State Education Property Tax: A statewide property tax that helps fund education.
- Local Property Tax: The main property tax collected by cities and towns.
- Fuel Tax
