Havenstein Seeks Ballot Law Ruling

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Walt Havenstein is before the Ballot Law Commission on Monday for a petition he filed to dispose of the question of his residency and qualification to run for the office.

Havenstein filed the request when he filed his candidate papers to resolve the question, which Democrats have hit him with in rat-a-tat-tat fashion since he announced he was running to challenge Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter.

Havenstein says there is no question. He says he meets New Hampshire qualifications to run for governor.

Democrats have challenged him on a tax break he received for a condominium in Maryland five years ago. Per the New Hampshire Constitution, a person is eligible to run for governor if they are a resident for seven years. Havenstein said he has lived in Alton, his domicile, since 1999, and that he has regularly voted in the state.

Andrew Hemingway of Bristol, Daniel J. Greene of Pittsfield and Jonathan Smolin of Alton are also running for the GOP nomination for governor.

The Ballot Law Commission on June 30 will also hear a petition by Stacie Laughton of Nashua to determine her eligibility to run for state representative and from Allan Levene, who is seeking ballot access in multiple states, in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District.

Laughton became the state's first transgender candidate in 2012 but later resigned after reports surfaced of a past conviction for credit card fraud in Laconia when she was living as a man, Barry C. Laughton Jr. Laughton said that when she resigned she would one day run again for elected office, Nashua Patch reported.

The Ballot Law Commission is scheduled to convene at 9:30 a.m. June 30 in Room 301 at the Legislative Office Building in Concord.