More candidates storm the gate on the last day of filing; 2 unsuccessful ward candidates seek rematches; 2 school zone races are contested.
CONCORD, NH — Voters in Concord will have plenty of decisions to make in November as more candidates launched campaigns for Concord City Council seats on the final day of filing.
Filing closed Monday afternoon for both city seats and the board of education.
No new candidates filed for the school board, but four more candidates filed to run in city council races: Mark Davie, who lives in the North End, filed to run for the open Ward 4 seat, while Jonathan Cate of East Concord, who ran two years ago for the open Ward 8 seat, filed to run again this year. Andrew Georgevits, who lives on the Heights and ran for the open Ward 9 seat two years ago, signed up for a rematch.
In the at-large city council race, two more candidates filed to run: Jeanne Chase of East Concord and Robert Washburn, who used to live in the North End by now resides on the Heights.
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At-Large Race Becomes Old Concord Vs. New
In the at-large council race, five candidates are running for two four-year seats.
The two incumbents are the longest-serving members of the council — 18 years for Fred Keach and 16 years for Amanda Grady Sexton. Washburn, a certified public accountant who filed on Monday, suggested he was running for reelection to “reclaim my seat,” having previously served 10 years on the council in the late 1970s to the late 1980s, including two terms as an at-large councilor.
Washburn said the city was in a spiral, currently on “a non-sustainable expenditure trajectory,” placing senior homeowners at risk for being taxed out of their homes. At the same time, the future of Concord is in jeopardy since young families cannot afford to move here.
“The council has been fixated on the tax rate increase and not on the cost-effectiveness of providing city services, especially non-essential city services,” he said.
Washburn said the council will soon be considering major capital expenditures, with other costly items likely to follow suit. Most councilors have “a go along to get along mindset,” he said, and were reluctant to raise serious questions that needed to be asked.
“I possess no reluctance,” Washburn added. “Rather than sit on the sidelines and criticize, I feel I can provide a more valuable community service by applying my time, talent, and experience by once again representing exclusively the needs of our property taxpayers and not any special interest group.”
Come November, voters will be faced with a choice: “More of the same or a voice of reason. ‘Nuff said,” Washburn added.
Grady Sexton said she sincerely cared about serving the community and wanted to ensure it remained a vibrant city. As a mother, public servant, and lifelong advocate for victims of crime, “I’ve learned how to get things done, improve systems, and make government accessible to everyone.” Learning how to navigate local government effectively takes time and effort. Grady Sexton’s experience at the table would be needed as Concord faces major infrastructure decisions, leadership transitions, and growing demands on public safety, she said.
If reelected, she said she would focus on lowering taxes by expanding the tax base, being “laser focused” on core city services, improving public safety, addressing homelessness, and supporting local businesses while also attracting new ones. Careful planning, protecting green space, and promoting diverse housing projects were also essential, she said.
“I have a proven track record of fighting for residents and moving projects forward by bringing stakeholders together and building consensus — always keeping the focus on what matters most to our residents,” she said. “Above all, I want to continue to be an effective public servant who is responsive to residents, brings people together, finds solutions, and ensures that Concord allows every single resident to thrive.”
Along with Chase, Fisto Ndayishimiye of Penacook, who came to Concord from the Congo about eight years ago, also filed to run at-large this year.
2 Contested SAU 8 Board Of Education Races
Two of the three SAU 8 Board of Education Zone seats will be competitive in 2025.
Zone B incumbent Cara Meeker is being challenged by Jeff Wells. The Zone seat represents Wards 5, 6, and 7.
Zone C has an open seat with two candidates: Alexander Dubois and Aaron Thompson, who signed up on Friday.
Madeleine Mineau was the only candidate to sign up to run for the Zone A seat.
Thompson, who has a doctorate of education in educational leadership, is a father of three children in the district, which gives him “a direct and personal stake in the policies and decisions that affect our schools.” He had seen the district from several different angles, including as a teacher at RMS, a coach at RMS and CHS, and a parent. He said the city deserved strong, student-focused leadership and fiscal responsibility. Thompson opposes constructing a new middle school, saying, instead, “taxpayer resources directed toward maintaining and improving our existing infrastructure, strengthening classroom instruction, and providing direct support to teachers and students.”
Thompson said core academic standards needed to be strengthened while ensuring curriculum transparency, prudent decisions needed to be made with taxpayer dollars — with investments in classrooms and competitive salaries and professional development for teachers, while also giving families “a stronger vote in decision-making” and supporting “evidence-based initiatives that respect parental input and community values” with respect to school safety and student wellbeing.
Patrick Taylor, the SAU 8 clerk, said all five candidates were tentative pending confirmation of voting registration and residence status as required by the district’s charter.
Competitive Races
Along with the at-large race, which is citywide, there will be a competitive citywide mayor’s race this year.
Kate West of the Heights is challenging incumbent Byron Champlin of the North End.
Voters in Wards 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 will also all have competitive races in 2025.
In Ward 4, Mark Davie, Jeffrey Garrett Tynes, and Elijah Wilson are all competing for the open seat vacated by Karen McNamara.
In Ward 5, incumbent Stacey Brown will face off against challenger Alex Dellas.
In Ward 6, Aislinn Kalob and Brenna Kehew Sculley are running for the open seat being vacated by Paula McLaughlin.
In Ward 8, incumbent Ali Sekou is being challenged by Jonathan Cate.
In Ward 9, incumbent Kris Schultz will face off against Andrew Georgevits.
Unopposed City Council Candidates
Barring last-minute signature drive filings or write-in campaigns, the following candidates will cruise to reelection due to a lack of challengers: Brent Todd in Ward 1; Michele Horne in Ward 2; Jennifer Kretovic in Ward 3; Jim Schlosser in Ward 7; and Jeff Foote in Ward 10.
Our Commitment To Voters
Concord NH Patch will again team up with Concord TV to host voter forums featuring videos of candidates running in competitive races, as we have done for several cycles now.
In 2023, Patch and Concord TV hosted 12 forums for the 13 competitive races that year. The municipal coverage won First Place in Political Reporting, Class II Division, from the New Hampshire Press Association.
Patch will also provide candidates with free questionnaire profiles, while Concord TV will create promotional videos. The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce will also be producing a voter’s guide for 2025. The Concord Monitor also typically hosts an event at Concord High School just before Election Day.