Merrimack District 20 includes Ward 6 in Concord. Nathan Giffard will face Jonathan Clark in the general election, vying for the seat left by Democrat Eric Gallager. Clark did not give his responses to the Monitor’s candidate survey.
Nathan Giffard
Party affiliation: Democrat
What town/city do you live in? Concord
Political experience: I was born and raised right here in Concord, and being a Granite Stater gave me a lifelong civic education. As a kid, I thought crossing paths with candidates and motorcade traffic jams were normal. This is my first time running for office, but a lifetime of First-in-the-Nation primaries and hyper-local democracy prepared me well. I’ve sat in barns, gyms and living rooms asking tough questions at town halls. I know what civic engagement looks like and what it takes to represent Concord.
Professional experience: I’m a scientist. I started my career at Dartmouth College studying the environmental and epidemiological impacts of chemical contaminants like PFAS (forever chemicals). Today, I’ve translated my experience to political work and public advocacy. As co-owner of a local data firm, I use data to empower progressive coalitions, labor unions and working-class people. From helping local campaigns win elections to defending workers’ rights, my goal is to uplift communities using data and research.
Community service experience: I’ve lived in Concord for my entire life and have been involved in the community every step of the way. I’ve volunteered as a cook for the McKenna House, an ESL peer tutor, a database manager for the NH Audubon and a Ballot Clerk in Wards 4 and 6. But the most meaningful experience I’ve had was as a youth mentor for the Concord Friends Program. Having been a mentee as a kid, it was incredible to pass that experience on. I hope to bring that same dedication to public service to the State House.
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and position? Yes
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage? Lift state regulations on development.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement? State and local law enforcement agencies should be focused on local public safety. Cooperating with federal agencies to target human traffickers and violent felons and drug traffickers protects our communities. However, spending time, money and resources on federal immigration enforcement more broadly erodes public trust and drains municipal funds.
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all? It should not restrict abortion at all.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why? I would repeal HB 592, signed by Governor Ayotte in 2025. This law dismantles the bipartisan, common-sense bail reforms passed in 2018. It has caused the jail populations in our state to spike and it’s costing taxpayers millions of dollars to hold non-dangerous people who can’t afford bail. These are real people — our neighbors — with jobs and homes and families and their freedom should not depend on the size of their wallet. It does not make our communities safer and should be repealed.
NH consistently struggles with funding its government and services. What is one way you would raise state revenue, and what is one area you would cut expenses? Be specific. To raise revenue, I would modernize our Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT). Currently, state law assesses a 1.5% tax on all property sales, split between buyer and seller (RSA 78-B:1). Raising that rate while introducing a deduction for primary residences will increase state revenue and deliver tax relief to local families. Asking out-of-state investors, vacation-home buyers and rental property owners to pay the full rate cuts closing costs for working-class families while generating millions in new state revenue.
To cut expenses, I would phase out New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) voucher program, costing taxpayers $50 million every year. Originally projected under $10 million per year, the budget has ballooned to $51.6 million, diverting critical revenue from the state’s Education Trust Fund. Most recipients were already in private schools or homeschooling, creating an unbudgeted subsidy for tuition families were already paying. Redirecting those funds into public education will reduce state expenditures, ease pressure on municipal property taxes, and ensure 100% of state education dollars are subject to public oversight and financial accountability.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education? The NH State Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that the state must increase its share of education funding and we need to follow that court mandate. Free public education sparked my love for learning and every student deserves to have that same opportunity. Ballot Question 2 is not the solution because it undermines public education and forces communities to choose between spiking local property taxes and cutting essential resources like bus routes and teaching positions. I’m voting ‘No’ on Question 2 and will fight to increase state education funding, bring local tax relief to Granite Staters, and fully fund our public schools as the state constitution demands.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today? The threat of chemical contamination in our environment is one of the reasons I’m running for office. While working at Dartmouth College, I researched how PFAS spread from our local wastewater facilities and into our rivers and food web. This research opened my eyes to the serious health and environmental risks we face here in New Hampshire, and it taught me that strong public policy is our best defense. Protecting our environment is essential to me as a Granite Stater and I’ll leverage my scientific background to establish rigorous guardrails, improved testing and ensure chemical manufacturers (not local taxpayers) foot the bill for clean water filtration and environmental remediation.
Find more information at the candidate’s website: nate4nh.com