Strafford County, New Hampshire

New Hampshire Executive Council District 4

2 candidates are tracked for New Hampshire Executive Council District 4 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: John Stephen and Jim O'Connell. Candidate information follows official Strafford County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

John Stephen (Republican), Jim O'Connell (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for New Hampshire Executive Council District 4. 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

Executive councilor. New Hampshire's five-member Executive Council approves state contracts over a set dollar amount, confirms the governor's nominees for judgeships and agency heads, and approves pardons and the state's ten-year highway plan. It is a check on the governor built into the state constitution.

New Hampshire › Strafford County › New Hampshire Executive Council District 4

John Stephen

Republican

Top priorities

Supports reducing business taxes and regulations to encourage economic development
Opposes broad-based income and sales taxes
Supports school choice options including education freedom accounts

Per the campaign site.

Biography

John Stephen is the founder and managing partner of The Stephen Group, a management consulting firm, and previously served as Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services from 2003 to 2007, per Citizens Count. He holds a BA from the University of New Hampshire's Whittemore School of Business and Economics and a JD from Michigan State University School of Law. He has served on the Executive Council for District 4 since 2025.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Jim O'Connell

Democratic

Top priorities

Supports protecting reproductive freedom
Supports public education funding and school infrastructure investment
Supports commuter rail and transportation infrastructure and a higher minimum wage

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Jim O'Connell co-founded Caradas, a cybersecurity consultancy serving Fortune 100 companies, and serves as Vice Chair of the Manchester school board, per his campaign site. Born and raised in Cobh, Ireland, he later lived in London, Australia and New Zealand before settling with his family in Manchester in 1997. He and his wife Kathy have raised four children in the city.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotNew Hampshire Senate District 3

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for New Hampshire Executive Council District 4 in 2026?

When is the New Hampshire Executive Council District 4 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 Strafford 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 Strafford 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 Strafford County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Strafford County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

New Hampshire Senate District 4 New Hampshire Senate District 6 New Hampshire Senate District 21 See all 35 Strafford County races

Candidate profiles

John Stephen, full profile Jim O'Connell, full profile Official New Hampshire election office