The New Hampshire Democratic Party was unsuccessful in keeping independent candidate Shawn O’Connor off the ballot for the 1st congressional district race.

The state Ballot Law Commission found Thursday that O’Connor collected the required 1,500 voter signatures needed to compete, dismissing an NHDP complaint that more than two dozen were ineligible. The decision was 4-1. 

“I’m thrilled to have this behind me,” said O’Connor, of Bedford. “With the decision today this race takes on a whole new dynamic going forward.”

O’Connor will face off against Democrat Carol Shea-Porter and incumbent Frank Guinta, a Republican who won his primary race by a slim margin this week. 

O’Connor’s candidacy will likely tighten the contest, but the candidate – who was initially registered as a Democrat and has accused Shea-Porter’s staff of a smear campaign – said he is not in the race as a “spoiler.” 

“I am not in this election to get one percent of the vote, I am in this election to win,” O’Connor said. “They know I bring a seriousness of purpose and I will be a competitive candidate.”

O’Connor filed to run for Congress as a Democrat last year, but dropped the affiliation following a spat with the state party. An attorney for the NHDP alleged in April that O’Connor had demanded payment to withdraw from the Democratic primary. O’Connor disputed the claim, calling it false and ridiculous given his personal wealth and success in business.

O’Connor announced in June he would seek the seat as an independent. He submitted 1,508 voter signatures this month to appear on the November ballot.

The NHDP contested the count and filed a complaint with the Ballot Law Commission alleging that six signatures were duplicates and 26 were ineligible because those voters also signed nomination papers for rival congressional candidates which is not permitted under state law. 

The commission accepted all signatures except the duplicates, giving O’Connor enough to qualify. Commission Chairman Brad Cook said the 26 others weren’t thrown out because the state form doesn’t tell voters they can’t submit signatures for more than one contender. 

“People don’t know about it,” he said. “We strongly recommended to the secretary of the state they put that on the form because then people would have notice. If that had been on the form, this totally would have gone the other way.”

State party Chairman Ray Buckley released a short statement on the ruling. “The NHDP is looking forward to electing Carol Shea-Porter to Congress in November,” he said.

A recent WMUR Granite State Poll, taken before the recent primary, found 48 percent of likely voters would pick Shea-Porter and 29 percent would choose Guinta. O’Connor wasn’t included. The state’s first congressional district includes Greater Manchester, the Seacoast and the Lakes Region.

(Allie Morris can be reached at 369-3307 or amorris@cmonitor.com.)