Merrimack District 3 includes Franklin, wards 1-3.
Four candidates are vying for two seats. The current representatives, Ernesto Gonzalez and Bryan Morse, are not running for reelection.
Democrats Scott Burns and Vivian Marie Hall will face Republicans Werner Horn and Michael Visconti in the general election. Hall did not respond to the Monitor’s survey.
Scott Burns
Party affiliation: Democrat
What town/city do you live in? Franklin
Political experience: Former state representative and School Board member
Professional experience: Associate Receiving
Community service experience: Board member of Franklin Outing Club and others.
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and possession? Expand medical marijuana to make sure education to user.
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage? Either funding or guidance to improve the housing shortage.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement? Assist only when the federal government is needed.
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all? Should be left up to the woman.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why? Laws around the education tax cap and other education funding.
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. Restore what has been cut in last session.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education? Should pay the full amount as Rand decision and pay more for special education. Should restrict the education freedom accounts so more money goes toward public schools.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today? Paying for mental health, funding for recycling programs and health insurance coverage.
Find more information at the candidate’s website: Scottaburns.2020.wordpress.com
Werner Horn
Party affiliation: Republican
What town/city do you live in? Franklin
Political experience: 6 years as state rep; 5 years as Supervisor of the Checklist
Professional experience: Professional driver, insurance agent, dispatcher
Community service experience: Franklin Mayor’s Drug Taskforce, Franklin CMT, UNH Cooperative Extension for Merrimack County
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and possession? In the absence of an objective test to measure impairment I would not be in favor of it.
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage? Give towns and cities grants to revise their local zoning restrictions.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement? NH should proactively seek opportunities to assist with immigration enforcement.
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all? It should keep the current law of restricting abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why? The law that conceals a minor’s abortion from parents. Abortion can be a traumatic experience for a person to go through and minors are legally, morally and ethically in the care of their parents. If the parents aren’t informed then they are not able to provide necessary levels of support.
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. NH’s budget practices need to be sharpened before we should ask for more tax dollars. Paying attention to bad budget practices and eliminating them should be a priority.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education? NH should legally and constitutionally define adequacy according to Article 83 of the NH Constitution.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today? Energy costs being out of NH’s control.
This candidate did not provide a link to a campaign website.
Mike Visconti
Party affiliation: Republican
What town/city do you live in? Franklin
Political experience: None yet, but I have worked on multiple campaigns for others.
Professional experience: I have run a marketing agency, V12 Marketing, for the last 10 years.
Community service experience: I have volunteered at several non-profits in the healthcare space.
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and possession? Yes
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage? Remove unnecessary state barriers to housing and give municipalities incentives to modernize restrictive zoning while preserving local control.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement? Cooperate with lawful federal immigration enforcement when it intersects with state and local law enforcement, while leaving general immigration enforcement primarily to the federal government.
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all? It should keep the current law of restricting abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why? I would repeal and replace RSA 313-A:9’s blanket occupational licensing requirement for lower-risk personal-care services. NH should protect consumers through reasonable health, sanitation, disclosure and fraud standards, but government should not create unnecessary barriers for people who want to work, start a small business or earn a living.
I believe licensing should be reserved for professions where there is a clear and significant public-safety need. Where less restrictive protections can accomplish the same goal, we should choose the approach that protects consumers while making it easier for Granite Staters to work and build businesses.
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. I would look for new revenue without creating a broad-based sales or income tax. One option I support is legalizing, regulating and taxing adult-use cannabis. NH is already surrounded by states with legal markets, and I would rather see that activity regulated here and generate revenue for NH than continue sending that economic activity across our borders. A legalization bill passed the House in 2026 but was ultimately tabled by the Senate.
On the expense side, I would start with state administrative overhead, outside consulting, redundant technology and administrative functions, and long-vacant non-frontline positions. Before asking taxpayers for more money or reducing direct services, state government should demonstrate that it is operating as efficiently as we would expect any household or small business to operate.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education? The state should carry a greater and more predictable share of the cost of providing an adequate public education so that a child’s education, and a homeowner’s tax bill, does not depend so heavily on the property wealth of their ZIP code.
At the same time, increased state responsibility should not mean increased state micromanagement. I support directing state education dollars toward the actual cost of education, with additional help for communities with limited tax capacity and greater student needs, while preserving meaningful local control over schools and spending decisions.
NH courts have long recognized the state’s responsibility to fund the opportunity for an adequate education; in the recent Contoocook Valley litigation, the Superior Court found even a base figure of $7,356.01 per student would be constitutionally insufficient based on the evidence before it.
The goal should be straightforward: better balance between state and local funding, greater accountability for every education dollar and less pressure on local property taxpayers.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today? NH needs enough housing for young people starting their lives here, families trying to move up, seniors who want to downsize and workers needed by local employers. NH Housing estimates that the state needs almost 60,000 additional housing units by 2030 and nearly 90,000 by 2040 to accommodate demand and restore a healthier housing market.
I do not believe the answer is for Concord to dictate one zoning code to every community. The state can help by reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers, making permitting more predictable, supporting infrastructure that enables responsible development and giving communities incentives and tools to increase housing supply while retaining local input.
Housing affects almost everything else we care about: whether young people stay in NH, whether businesses can hire workers, whether seniors can remain near their families and whether working families can afford to build a future here.
Find more information at the candidate’s website: votefranklinfirst.com