Hal Rafter

Hal Rafter was born in Mason, New Hampshire. Rafter earned a master’s degree from the University of New Hampshire in 1978. His career experience includes working as a senior programmer, a housing analyst, and an adjunct professor.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have lived in Nottingham for 38 years and my wife and I have raised two children here.  We both have run small businesses.  I served on the school board for 8 years and as a selectman for 3, so I am familiar with both school and town issues.  My varied experience will be valuable if I am fortunate enough to be elected to the NH House.  We need to establish a positive direction for our state and address the many issues we face.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Public education is critical to our society.  We must fight the false narratives and efforts to defund our local schools and undermine the staff.  I oppose vouchers for private schools and oppose attempts to ban books and censor what can be taught.Reproductive, voting, and other rights are at risk due to US Supreme Court decisions.  Government should not be able to control women's bodies or dictate who a person can marry.  Voting also must be defended from restrictions on registration, ID requirements, and attempts to eliminate voting machines.Climate change is a worldwide problem affecting food production, water supplies and much more. We are a small state, but let’s be a leader in addressing climate change.  Our ski and seafood businesses, and our future in general, depend how we respond.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As indicated above, I think defense of our various rights is particularly important. In addition, public education needs to be supported, and climate change addressed.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a 35 year resident of Nottingham with experience on the school board and board of selectmen. My wife and I have both run small businesses, so I understand the issues facing individuals as well as businesses in the state of NH.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I support economic relief for NH citizens through: reduced property taxes, a higher minimum wage, expanded unemployment benefits during the pandemicClimate change requires more action at the state and local level including energy retrofits, telecommuting to reduce tailpipe emissions, support of small scale solar.I am committed to defending individual rights, especially voting rights, reproductive rights, and the rights of workers to organize.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Defending voting rights which have been under threat for the past few years through voter ID laws, restrictive residency requirements, and now mis-information about absentee voting.

Increasing state aid to local government to reduce the burden of property taxes and raise the quality of education. Property taxes are the only broad based state tax in NH, and are at levels that force people from their houses and raise rents to un-affordable levels.

Global warming needs to be addressed at the state and local levels because the federal government is currently ignoring the problem or actively making it worse. We should encourage telecommuting in the private sector and require it for state employees where possible since we know it works. We should go back to using Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative funds to do energy retrofits on residential and commercial buildings. There need to be changes to encourage solar and other renewable sources, both small and large scale.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

A willingness to learn and accept information that may run counter to their beliefs. An ability to make judgments based on the common good, not an ideology. Respect for all constituents.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Ability to learn, open minded, committed to improving our citizens' lives

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Become as informed as possible about legislation before voting on it.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Legislation that protected individual rights; legislation that effectively addressed climate change

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Kennedy's assasination was the earliest event I recall , I was 11 at the time. I remember watching the TV coverage with my grand parents, who were Republicans, but who were shocked by his death. It brought the country together in a way that has not happened since. But it also seemed to shake the optimism that had prevailed in the years before.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Labor and Monopoly Capital by Harry Braverman. It documents the transformation of the workplace from a craft focused environment to a fragmented environment where knowledge is separated from the worker and work becomes a piece of a larger picture. The changes in work can explain many of the changes outside the workplace as well.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

saying no to additional commitments

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

The house is much too large. If the size was reduced, we could hope for better representation.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

It is helpful but not necessary. It's more important to have an open mind and be willing learn.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Environmental issues will become more and more pressing. State government is already not meeting its responsibilities in regards to education, care for the mentally ill, treatment of drug abuse, and many other areas. These will become major issues if the state continues to grow, and will force state government to take on more responsibility to address them.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

It should be cooperative problem solving relationship. But each represents a different constituency - the governor the entire state, legislators their particular district. Willingness to compromise is necessary, and the governor should accept legislation that he or she may not agree with ideologically, but which benefits the residents of the state.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Yes. Whether within a party or between parties, developing effective legislation requires communication and cooperation.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

An independent commission which can recommend non-partisan districts

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Committees that are concerned either with individual rights, or environmental issues.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No, I have no interest or plans to run for a different office

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

While on the school board in Nottingham, I heard many stories about the positive impact of the school and individual teachers on the lives of students. Local schools are one of the most important features of our towns, but they are not fully appreciated.