The Ballot Brief
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire

New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 43

8 candidates are tracked for New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 43 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Gary Daniels, Vanessa L. Sheehan, Elizabeth Keenan, William J. Bieschke, Paul Dargie, Maria Elizabeth Perez, Claire Holston and Ethan Aho. Candidate information follows official Hillsborough County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Gary Daniels (Republican), Vanessa L. Sheehan (Republican), Elizabeth Keenan (Republican), William J. Bieschke (Republican), Paul Dargie (Democratic), Maria Elizabeth Perez (Democratic), Claire Holston (Democratic), Ethan Aho (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 43; Vanessa L. Sheehan is the sitting member, per the General Court's official member list (gc.nh.gov). This is a four-seat district: voters choose up to four candidates, and the top four finishers are elected. Not on the November ballot: Peter Petrigno, the sitting member for the district per the same list. 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 4; the top 4 finishers win seats. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Vanessa L. Sheehan, is on the ballot.

New Hampshire › Hillsborough County › New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 43

Gary Daniels

Republican

Top priorities
  • Supports school choice through Education Freedom Accounts and local control of education funding
  • Opposes income and sales taxes and supports business tax reductions
  • Supports stricter voter ID requirements and opposes Medicaid expansion

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Gary Daniels is an independent insurance agent and a 50-plus-year resident of Milford who served in the U.S. Army, New Hampshire Army National Guard and Army Reserve from 1976 to 1988. He previously served as a state senator from 2014 to 2018 and has served on the Milford Board of Selectmen since 2003, per his campaign website.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Vanessa L. Sheehan

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Supports Education Freedom Accounts and school district tax caps
  • Supports bans on abortion after 24 weeks
  • Opposes stricter gun laws and red flag legislation

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Vanessa L. Sheehan is a state representative for Hillsborough District 43 who has served since 2020 and has a background in finance, including service on the Milford Budget Advisory Committee, per Citizens Count.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Elizabeth Keenan

Republican

Top priorities
  • Supports maintaining New Hampshire's lack of an income tax or sales tax and fiscal responsibility
  • Supports conserving Milford's natural and historical character
  • Supports the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Elizabeth Keenan is the Republican nominee for New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 43 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the New Hampshire Secretary of State's September 8, 2026 primary results. Former small business owner, per campaign website.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

William J. Bieschke

Republican

Biography

William J. Bieschke is the Republican nominee for New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 43 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the New Hampshire Secretary of State's September 8, 2026 primary results. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the Secretary of State's primary results are the only verifiable source for William J. Bieschke.

Paul Dargie

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Supports fair, dependable state funding to reduce the pressure of rising property taxes on Milford taxpayers
  • Supports public schools, municipalities, first responders and community services
  • Describes himself as a practical, centrist Democrat who favors a civil, problem-solving approach

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Paul Dargie has served on the Milford School Board, Select Board and in the New Hampshire House over more than 35 years of local service. He holds a master's degree in manufacturing engineering from the University of Massachusetts, per his campaign website and Citizens Count. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the Secretary of State's primary results are the only verifiable source for Paul Dargie.

Maria Elizabeth Perez

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Supports minimum wage increases and opposes right-to-work legislation
  • Supports stricter gun laws including background checks and extreme risk protection orders
  • Supports Medicaid expansion and climate action measures
Biography

Maria Elizabeth Perez works as a customer service representative at Campers Inn RV and previously served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 2020 to 2024, per Citizens Count. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the Secretary of State's primary results are the only verifiable source for Maria Elizabeth Perez.

Claire Holston

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Supports stronger public schools, affordable housing and infrastructure investment
  • Supports fiscal responsibility, transparency and reduced bureaucracy
  • Supports workforce development and support for veterans and seniors

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Claire Holston has more than 32 years of experience in corporate operations and subcontract management, is a small business owner, and has served as board chair for nonprofit organizations, per Citizens Count.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Ethan Aho

Democratic

Biography

Ethan Aho is a principal engineer at Mythic Digital and owner of Raven Hat LLC in Milford, per Citizens Count. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the Secretary of State's primary results are the only verifiable source for Ethan Aho.

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Questions about this race

Who is running for New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 43 in 2026?

8 candidates are tracked for New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 43 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Gary Daniels, Vanessa L. Sheehan, Elizabeth Keenan, William J. Bieschke, Paul Dargie, Maria Elizabeth Perez, Claire Holston and Ethan Aho. Candidate information follows official Hillsborough County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 43 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 Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Hillsborough County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
New Hampshire House, Hillsborough District 45Hillsborough County SheriffHillsborough County AttorneySee all 69 Hillsborough County races
Candidate profiles
Gary Daniels, full profileVanessa L. Sheehan, full profileElizabeth Keenan, full profileWilliam J. Bieschke, full profilePaul Dargie, full profileMaria Elizabeth Perez, full profileClaire Holston, full profileEthan Aho, full profileOfficial New Hampshire election office