In some of the state’s less anticipated but highly contested primaries, Republican incumbent Joseph Kenney and lawyer and Democrat Andru Volinsky won their respective party nominations for Executive Council Districts 1 and 2.
The District 4 GOP contestants, retired U.S. Postal Service worker Jim Adams and Manchester business owner Joseph Kelly Levasseur, were in a race too close to call as of press time. With 77 percent of precincts reporting, Levasseur led Adams 52 points to 48.
The five-member council has two open seats as Chris Sununu and Colin Van Ostern vie for the governor’s office.
Volinsky, of Concord, won his primary handily. With 80 percent of the precincts reporting, he earned 57 percent of the vote. His closest competitor was former Executive Councilor John Shea of Nelson with 33 percent. In third was former legislator Shawn Mickelonis of Rochester with 10 percent.
Kenney, a Wakefield resident and current executive councilor for the northern portion of the state, had 80 percent of the vote with most precincts reporting. He was challenged by newcomer Paul Carreiro of Orford.
Volinsky, Kenney and the District 4 primary winner will face their general election opponents in their respective districts in November.
As for those who cast their ballot for the candidates, some did so with enthusiasm.
Democrats Janice Kelble and her husband, both of Franklin, stood outside city hall Tuesday afternoon to support Volinsky.
“I learned through my work with the labor movement that they’re pretty important people,” Janice said.
Jim Carter, an independent who voted Democrat at Canterbury’s town hall, declined to share which District 2 candidate he voted for Tuesday.
The Executive Council approves state spending contracts and approves major appointments in state government. Not everyone is familiar with the council’s role, but Carter was.
“I think it’s worked well for whatever, 100 years? Whatever it’s been,” Carter said. “I think it does provide a certain screening process.”
Boscawen resident and Democrat Todd West would disagree. He too said he was in tune with all of his primary election candidates – he went with Volinsky – but didn’t feel like the Colonial-era Executive Council should be there in the first place.
New Hampshire is the only state that still has such a body to act as checks and balances on the executive branch of government. It originated with the 13 colonies.
“I think we should abolish it,” West said. “It’s unnecessary.”
Loudon voter Rick Bittle said he looked down his Republican ballot and recognized few names toward the bottom. When asked if he knew anything about his two District 4 Executive Council candidates – Joseph Kelly Levasseur and Jim Adams – Bittle shook his head.
“I hate to say it,” Bittle said. “But I really don’t.”
He added, “I know they’re important because they do a lot of decision-making.”
Another Loudon voter, Republican Amy Corliss, said she didn’t want to vote for anyone she didn’t know. So she didn’t choose between Levasseur and Adams.
“I don’t like to give my vote if I don’t know a lot about someone,” Corliss said.