New Hampshire

Governor Kelly Ayotte signed universal school vouchers into law and anti-sanctuary legislation. Republicans hold both chambers. New Hampshire has no income tax and no sales tax. Public schools are funded almost entirely by property taxes, which Ayotte calls “unsustainable” while refusing to consider alternatives.

The result: vouchers are pulling public money to private schools, property taxes keep rising, and the governor blames towns for a problem the state’s tax structure created.

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School vouchers

Ayotte signed SB 295 on June 10, 2025, removing the income cap for Education Freedom Accounts and making them available to all K-12 students regardless of family income. The program cost $51.6 million in 2025-26 with 10,510 students enrolled.

As enrollment doubled, the percentage of low-income recipients dropped. Democrats argued the program takes “your tax dollars and giving them to the richest people in the state.”

$51.6 million spent on vouchers in 2025-26 with 10,510 students enrolled. Costs could reach $100 million once fully phased in.

New Hampshire’s base per-pupil funding is $9,416, well below the national average of about $17,000. The state relies on property taxes as the main source of school funding and has some of the highest property tax rates in the nation. Analysis found that towns are not primarily to blame — the state’s structural reliance on local property taxes for school funding is the driver.

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Healthcare and benefits

The federal reconciliation bill cuts Medicaid spending by roughly $1 trillion over the next decade. In New Hampshire, Medicaid covers over 187,000 residents. Estimates project 82,000 people are projected to lose coverage.

New costs are coming fast. Granite Advantage enrollees above 100% FPL will pay $60-$100/month in premiums. CHIP families face $190-$270/month. A $4 per prescription copay starts January 2026.

Eligibility checks move to every six months. Work requirements begin January 1, 2027.

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Housing

The median single-family home in New Hampshire costs $535,000, a 78% increase since 2019. A buyer would face mortgage payments exceeding $3,950 per month and need to earn over $158,000 to avoid being cost-burdened. Average supply is 1.8 months — far below the 5-7 months needed for a balanced market.

Only 39 rental homes are affordable and available per 100 extremely low-income households. A full-time worker needs $35.08 per hour ($72,971 annual income) to afford a two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent.

The 2025 legislature passed a “homes near jobs” initiative allowing multi-family housing on commercial land, ADUs by right on single-family lots, and updated parking requirements for apartments.

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Immigration

Ayotte signed two anti-sanctuary laws on May 22, 2025, effective January 1, 2026. They prohibit cities and towns from adopting sanctuary policies, ban blanket policies against complying with immigration detainers, and strip local authority to limit law enforcement cooperation with ICE.

13 New Hampshire law enforcement agencies have signed 287(g) agreements with ICE, including State Police, four sheriff’s departments, and eight local police departments. The legislature also passed a bill making out-of-state driver’s licenses invalid in New Hampshire for undocumented immigrants.

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2026 elections

Ayotte is running for reelection. 41% of likely voters think she deserves another term, 38% say she does not, 21% are undecided. Democrats Cinde Warmington and Jonathan Kiper are competing in the September 8 primary.

New Hampshire also has a U.S. Senate race. Former Governor Chris Sununu and Representative Chris Pappas are considered frontrunners.

The governor’s race and the Senate race will test whether New Hampshire’s libertarian streak translates into support for vouchers that pull from property-tax-funded schools and Medicaid cuts that affect 82,000 residents.

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Protect yourself right now

1. Check your voter registration. New Hampshire’s primary is September 8. Verify at the Secretary of State’s website.

2. Verify your Medicaid status. Premiums, copays, and eligibility checks are all changing. If you are on Granite Advantage, keep your contact information current with NH DHHS.

3. Ask your school board about voucher impact. EFA enrollment doubled. Ask where that money comes from and whether your district lost funding.

4. Know your rights with ICE. 13 agencies have signed cooperation agreements. You do not have to answer questions without a lawyer. The ACLU of New Hampshire has resources.

5. Contact your state legislators about property taxes. The state blames towns. Analysis says the state’s tax structure is the problem. Find your legislator at gencourt.state.nh.us.