The Ballot Brief
Cheshire County, New Hampshire

New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18

4 candidates are tracked for New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Rita Mattson, Jim Qualey, Allen Davis and Rory Lovett Sherman. Candidate information follows official Cheshire County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Rita Mattson (Republican), Jim Qualey (Republican), Allen Davis (Democratic), Rory Lovett Sherman (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18; Rita Mattson, Jim Qualey are sitting members, per the General Court's official member list (gc.nh.gov). This is a two-seat district: voters choose up to two candidates, and the top two finishers are elected. Nominees are each party's top finishers in the September 8, 2026 state primary, per the Secretary of State's town-by-town results; nomination-paper candidates are not yet included.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Voters choose 2; the top 2 finishers win seats. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. Sitting officeholders on the ballot: Rita Mattson, Jim Qualey.

New Hampshire › Cheshire County › New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18

Rita Mattson

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Supports Education Freedom Accounts and property-tax funded schools; opposes state zoning mandates for housing development.
  • Opposes new income and sales taxes.
  • Supports nuclear energy development and voter ID requirements.

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Rita Mattson is the Republican nominee for New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the New Hampshire Secretary of State's September 8, 2026 primary results. Rita Mattson is a sitting member for the district, per the General Court's official member list (gc.nh.gov). Has represented Cheshire District 18 in the New Hampshire House since 2024, per Citizens Count candidate profile. Describes herself as a retired blue-collar worker with a high school and trade school education; lives in Dublin, per Citizens Count candidate profile.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Jim Qualey

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Supports Education Freedom Accounts as an option for lower-income families.
  • Opposes broad-based income, sales, and capital gains taxes, and supports phasing out the interest and dividends tax.
  • Opposes expanding net metering and supports the state's current law permitting abortion access during the first six months of pregnancy.
Biography

Jim Qualey is the Republican nominee for New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the New Hampshire Secretary of State's September 8, 2026 primary results. Jim Qualey is a sitting member for the district, per the General Court's official member list (gc.nh.gov). Has represented Cheshire District 18 in the New Hampshire House since 2020 and is vice chair of the House Election Law Committee, per Citizens Count candidate profile. Retired physicist and R&D engineer, and previously served as a Rindge selectman from 2016 to 2019, per Citizens Count candidate profile. Holds physics degrees from Penn State University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, per Citizens Count candidate profile. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the Secretary of State's primary results are the only verifiable source for Jim Qualey.

Allen Davis

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Focuses on affordability, increasing state support for public education, and building housing that residents can afford
  • Wants the state to stop shifting costs onto local communities and direct more resources to towns for basic services.

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Allen Davis is the Democratic nominee for New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the New Hampshire Secretary of State's September 8, 2026 primary results. Has served as executive director of nonprofit organizations and worked as an administrator and teacher at schools and colleges, per Campaign site (davis4nh.org). Has lived in the Monadnock region for more than 20 years and resides in Dublin, per Monadnock Ledger-Transcript.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Rory Lovett Sherman

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Has expressed concern about the affordability of small-town living as costs rise and expenses shift onto towns and neighbors.

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Rory Lovett Sherman is a blue-collar worker and a 10-year resident of Dublin, living with a spouse and four young children, according to the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
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Questions about this race

Who is running for New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18 in 2026?

4 candidates are tracked for New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Rita Mattson, Jim Qualey, Allen Davis and Rory Lovett Sherman. Candidate information follows official Cheshire County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the New Hampshire House, Cheshire District 18 election in New Hampshire?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for New Hampshire are on the New Hampshire election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Cheshire County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Cheshire County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official New Hampshire election office, or see the full Cheshire County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Cheshire County ballot

31 tracked races in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Cheshire County AttorneyCheshire County TreasurerCheshire County Register of DeedsSee all 31 Cheshire County races
Candidate profiles
Rita Mattson, full profileJim Qualey, full profileAllen Davis, full profileRory Lovett Sherman, full profileOfficial New Hampshire election office