Former executive councilor David Wheeler, a Republican, is in full swing for a rematch.
Democrat Debra Pignatelli took his executive council seat two years ago.,
And while they disagree on many political issues, the two candidates are joined in an important battle.
Both are struggling to get people to know who they are and what job they are running for.
Only seven days remain to get the message across.
NHPR correspondent Sheryl Rich-Kern reports.
In downtown Nashua on a recent evening, it was hard to find voters who know who is running for the District 5 Executive Council seat.
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District Five cuts a wide swath across the southern portion of the state.
It sweeps east to Nashua, west to Vermont, and north as far as Dumbarton.
At a recent candidate forum Donald Overman of Hudson proved that some voters are paying attention.
Donald: :11 Executive council is Pignatelli and Wheeler
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And he knows what they do.
:32 They are guardians for the people to give advice and consent to the governor’s mandates.
More specifically, the executive councilors approve judicial nominees, agency heads, and any state contract over five thousand dollars.
Yet despite the council's role, its name barely registers in the minds of voters.
It’s a challenge incumbent, Nashua's Deborah Pignatelli says has dogged her since she won the seat two years ago.
Before that she served 16 years as a lawmaker.
At the recent forum, She spent most of her stump speech explaining what she does….
…and less then two minutes touting her accomplishments.
She says she is most proud of questioning the Council's practice of approving no-bid contracts.
Pigna: It means the agency contracts with a vendor and doesn’t put it out to bid. I think that’s bad business, and a waste of money. (Pignatelli2)
Pignatelli took the seat from Milford Republican David Wheeler two years ago.
He has also been a state senator and representative.
Wheeler says he’s a hard nose negotiator who will stand up to the governor.
And he blames Pignatelli for confirming the nomination of Gary Hicks to the State Supreme Court.
Hicks was in the majority of judges who ordered the legislature to define an adequate education by July.
The justices said if the legislature couldn’t come up with a definition by the deadline, the court would create its own.
Wheeler: The judge I voted for, Judge Duggin, he said: it’s not the court’s role to tell the legislature educational policy and how much money to raise. So I think it’s time to say when enough is enough. It’s time to get the courts out of this and let the voice of the people speak through their legislators.
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Wheeler also blames Pignatelli for the Council's unanimous vote approving the EZ Pass highway toll system.
As part of the new system, the state discount dropped from 50 to 30 percent.
And Merrimack residents were outraged because they have to pay the toll each time they get on or off the highway.
Wheeler :15 Governor Benson and I had a deal. We weren’t putting out money for the EZ pass unless Merrimack could get some toll relief. But when I was off the council, Lynch signed the bill for the EZ pass.
Pignatelli says she has always wanted to treat Merrimack more fairly,
In fact, she says she has repeatedly offered proposals to the council, but, she complains, the republican majority has never supported her.
Still she says she won't be deterred.
Pigna: Lately I have, with the help of our transportation commissioner Carol Murray, we’ve contracted with a vendor to do an equity study of the Merrimack toll booths. I am hopeful when that study comes back, I’ll have the ammunition to approach my other councilors, and convince at least two of them, that Merrimack surely deserves a break. (Pignatelli-Tolls2)
Despite predictions that Democrat incumbents have a leg up thanks to Governor John Lynch's support, Pignatelli says she isn't resting easy.
Pigna: I’m always worried. There isn’t one vote I don’t want to get.
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Election day is November 7th.
Meanwhile, informed voters will have to learn the candidates names.
For NHPR News in Nashua, this is Sheryl Rich-Kern.
