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Van Ostern challenges Gardner for secretary of state

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Former Executive Councilor and candidate for governor Colin Van Ostern has decided to run for secretary of state against Bill Gardner.

The secretary of state is elected every two years by the New Hampshire Legislature. Gardner has won that every time for the past forty-two years. No one has run against him in over a decade.

Gardner is known as a staunch defender of New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary. However, he has faced criticism over the past year for serving on President Trump’s election integrity commission, lobbying for stricter voter registration laws, and clashing with towns over rescheduling elections due to bad weather.

Van Ostern opposes stricter voter registration laws, supports an independent redistricting commission, and pledges to also defend New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary.

House Democratic Leader Steve Shurtleff (D-Penacook) and Senate Minority Leader Jeff Woodburn (D-Dalton) both support Van Ostern. Van Ostern is also forming a political action committee (PAC) that will donate to House candidates that support his platform.

Do you support Gardner or Van Ostern for secretary of state? Let us know in the comments below.

Image depicts Gardner on the left and Van Ostern on the right.

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