Incumbents Liz Boucher and Brenda Hastings won re-election to the Concord Board of Education on Tuesday.
Liz Boucher won 56% of votes across Wards 5, 6 and 7, beating challenger Don Brueggemann, according to preliminary results Tuesday night. The race between Boucher and Brueggemann in Concord’s South and West ends was competitive. When results rolled in, Boucher said she was relieved.
“I’m tired, but I’m very excited to continue the work that I have started and feel confident in doing,” Boucher said.
Throughout her campaign, Boucher pointed to her long track record of involvement. This will be her second term on the school board.
Brueggemann, a former state representative and longtime manager of the Works Café downtown, said he was disappointed by the results but plans to stay engaged and help the school board to be open and transparent.
“I think it will just be a different way of doing that than I had imagined,” Brueggemann said.
In the eastern parts of Concord, Hastings won with 62% of votes cast in Wards 8, 9 and 10, beating challenger Aaron Thompson. Hastings will continue on the board for her third term.
“I know we have work to do and we will do it,” Hastings said. “It’s been such a long day, and it’s just really nice to have this part of it over and now we can focus on the good things that we’ll be doing.”
School board candidate Brenda Hastings holds her signs in front of the Ward Nine polling location on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Credit: Yasmeen Saadi / Monitor Staff 
School board candidate Liz Boucher holds a sign in front of the Ward Six polling location on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Credit: Yasmeen Saadi / Monitor Staff 
School board candidate Don Brueggemann (right) holds his signs while supporters of his opponent, Liz Boucher, held theirs on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Credit: Yasmeen Saadi / Monitor Staff 
School board candidate Don Brueggemann holds a sign in front of Abbot-Downing School, the polling location for Ward Seven, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Credit: Yasmeen Saadi / Monitor Staff 
School board candidate Aaron Thompson holds a sign in front of the Ward Eight polling place while talking with his three kids on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Credit: Yasmeen Saadi / Monitor Staff
Boucher is a dietitian at the New Hampshire State Hospital with two children currently in Concord schools. She was previously the president of the parent-teacher organization at Christa McAuliffe Elementary.
While at the polls, Boucher said she felt a lot of energy at Christa McAuliffe Elementary and engaged with people who had questions for an incumbent school board member.
“They have questions or concerns, statements that they want to say to the incumbent,” Boucher said. “And that’s powerful to say that they feel comfortable coming up to me and speaking with me while at the polls. So [they talked] less about what they want to see in a candidate, and more what they want to see continue go on at the school-level.”
Boucher said this year’s race was a bit more competitive than when she ran for her first term in 2023 because of Brueggemann’s name recognition.
“It’s always great to have people to run against,” Boucher said. “I think it makes you a better candidate and to have someone like Don, who’s well known in the community and respected, makes me come out on the other side having another partner to work with.”
Jennifer Thompson held signs supporting Boucher outside Christa McAuliffe School on Tuesday. She said she met Boucher six years ago when they became involved in their kids’ schools and the PTO.
“What I love about her on the school board is she’s a parent who knows what’s going on,” Thompson said. “And she can ask the questions and understand, ‘how does this really impact the students?'”
On Tuesday morning, Hastings was lighthearted. In her past two elections, the weather was freezing, she said, so she loved having warm weather and seeing people outside and involved.
“Lots of lines, lots of people are out voting,” Hastings said. “And I think that that is so good for democracy.”
Several voters on Tuesday noted a personal connection with Hastings. A mom of a Concord high schooler said Hastings was her son’s favorite teacher. Joe Martin said Hastings was a friend and that he knew she was a good person.
Throughout her campaign, the former teacher touted her experience and her perspective, having grown up in, worked in and now representing local schools.
Aaron Thompson, her challenger, is a college professor and former Rundlett teacher with three kids in the district. He had wanted to bring a more fiscally conservative perspective to the board.
Thompson was not available for a call after results came in, but said during the day that he was having a lot of fun at the polls and enjoyed talking to voters face-to-face.
Jackie Figueira, an active volunteer at Beaver Meadow School, ran unopposed in Zone A. She received 2,738 votes across Wards 1-4. Figueira will join Boucher and Hastings on the board for a three-year term.
