The Ballot Brief
Merrimack County, New Hampshire

New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 9

6 candidates are tracked for New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 9 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Matthew Poulin, r, John Martin, r, Muriel Hall, Eleana M. Colby, David Luneau and James Newsom. Candidate information follows official Merrimack County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Matthew Poulin, r (Republican), John Martin, r (Republican), Muriel Hall (Democratic), Eleana M. Colby (Democratic), David Luneau (Democratic), James Newsom (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 9; Muriel Hall, Eleana M. Colby, David Luneau, James Newsom are sitting members, 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. Matthew Poulin, r won the Republican nomination as a write-in candidate with 104 votes; John Martin, r won the Republican nomination as a write-in candidate with 66 votes; a write-in nominee must accept the nomination, and the Secretary of State's November candidate list is the source that confirms the final printed field. The Republican primary fielded 2 candidates for four seats; any additional write-in nomination is settled by the Secretary of State's November candidate 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. Sitting officeholders on the ballot: Muriel Hall, Eleana M. Colby, David Luneau, James Newsom.

New Hampshire › Merrimack County › New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 9

Matthew Poulin, r

Republican

Top priorities
  • Opposes a broad-based income or sales tax and supports business tax decreases.
  • Supports the Education Freedom Account program.
Biography

Matthew Poulin is a Republican candidate for New Hampshire House Merrimack District 9. He previously served six years as a Bow selectman, per his 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 Matthew Poulin, r.

John Martin, r

Republican

Top priorities
  • Opposes additional tax burdens on NH residents and supports business tax decreases.
  • Supports Education Freedom Accounts and local property tax funding for schools.
  • Supports requiring local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Biography

John Martin is a Republican candidate for New Hampshire House Merrimack District 9. He is a retired unit manager with the NH Department of Corrections after 21 years, a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant, and previously served in the NH House from 2014 to 2016, per his 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 John Martin, r.

Muriel Hall

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Opposed a school district property tax cap mandate in her voting record.
  • Voted against bills that would allow sex-based segregation in bathrooms, locker rooms and sports.

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Muriel Hall, the sitting representative for New Hampshire House Merrimack District 9, worked 32 years as an educator in the Bow School District before her election in 2022, per her Citizens Count candidate profile.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Eleana M. Colby

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Supports climate action and expanding net metering opportunities.
  • Supports increasing child care funding and opposes Education Freedom Accounts.

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Eleana M. Colby, the sitting representative for New Hampshire House Merrimack District 9, serves as vice chair of the Bow Board of Selectmen, per her Citizens Count candidate profile.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

David Luneau

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Has supported education equity and funding reform in his legislative record.
  • Has supported minimum wage increases and expanded Medicaid.
Biography

David Luneau, the sitting representative for New Hampshire House Merrimack District 9, co-founded and serves as president of ClassCo Inc., a hardware and software engineering firm, per his 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 David Luneau.

James Newsom

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Supports the interest and dividends tax as a progressive revenue source and opposes regressive taxation.
  • Supports stricter laws on assault weapons while preserving hunting and self-protection rights.
  • Says local communities, not the state, should set municipal spending caps.
Biography

James Newsom, the sitting representative for New Hampshire House Merrimack District 9, has worked more than 10 years as a land protection specialist at the Harris Center and previously chaired the Hopkinton Conservation Commission, per his 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 James Newsom.

Next on your ballotNew Hampshire House, Merrimack District 10

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Questions about this race

Who is running for New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 9 in 2026?

6 candidates are tracked for New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 9 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Matthew Poulin, r, John Martin, r, Muriel Hall, Eleana M. Colby, David Luneau and James Newsom. Candidate information follows official Merrimack County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 9 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 Merrimack 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 Merrimack 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 Merrimack County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Merrimack County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 11New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 12New Hampshire House, Merrimack District 13See all 47 Merrimack County races
Candidate profiles
Matthew Poulin, r, full profileJohn Martin, r, full profileMuriel Hall, full profileEleana M. Colby, full profileDavid Luneau, full profileJames Newsom, full profileOfficial New Hampshire election office