Bordes is Laconia's next mayor, narrowly defeating Cheney

LACONIA — By a narrow margin, state Rep. Mike Bordes (R-Laconia) is the city’s next mayor.

Bordes, a three-term representative in Concord, beat Ward 1 Councilor Bruce Cheney, 1,604 votes to 1,549, in the Municipal Election on Tuesday. He’ll assume the seat left vacant by former Mayor Andrew Hosmer, and filled in the interim by state Rep. Charlie St. Clair (D-Laconia).

“It was good, it was tight like I thought it would be,” Bordes said Wednesday morning. “We stayed focused on the issues. That’s what really got us over the finish line.”

Bordes ran a campaign stressing the importance of lowering the tax burden on city residents, in an election where the cost of housing and homelessness were top issues among voters. Refraining from negative campaigning, Bordes said his strategy was to confront the issues voters were most concerned about head-on.

According to the city charter, Laconia’s municipal elections are nonpartisan. This election cycle struck a starkly partisan chord: former Gov. Chris Sununu (R) endorsed Bordes, and former governor and sitting Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) endorsed Cheney. Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) published a message of congratulations to Bordes on election night.

For Bordes, finding ways to make an impact on homelessness and housing costs in the city, driving the economy into a new prosperity, and supporting new businesses in Laconia are some of the issues he said voters were clear about throughout his campaign. 

“I think the ultimate goal is to find the best outcome for the citizens of Laconia,” Bordes said. “I’m overwhelmed and very thankful.”

He said he was glad for the support he received from voters who yearned for the city to approach issues with new solutions, moving in a new direction. 

Now that the campaign has concluded, Bordes is tasked with the hard work of governing a dynamic and growing city with major challenges laid ahead. The State School project, which developers say will introduce more than 2,000 units of housing along Parade Road, will force city leaders to get creative with finances and infrastructure.

Bordes said Wednesday he’s been successful during his time as a representative to the Statehouse in building coalitions and working across the aisle, and intends to do so as mayor, too. As inauguration day in January inches ever closer, Bordes will seek to foster relationships with councilors, to understand their points of view and gather their thoughts ahead of the two-year term they’ll need to collaborate.

Cheney won Wards 1, 2 and 3 — though in Ward 2, by just one vote. Ward 6 showed out in droves for Bordes, where he won by over 100 votes. 

"I do want to thank those who supported me," Cheney said on Wednesday, and said he hopes Bordes is successful in achieving the promises he made throughout his campaign. 

Joseph Hart, who ran against Cheney and Bordes during the municipal primary, received five write-in votes for mayor.

Turnout this year was considerably higher than in the Municipal Election just two years ago — of 11,062 registered voters in the city, 3,153 voters turned out to the polls, a participation rate of 29%. In 2023, just 13% of city voters participated.

Voters also approved the creation of so-called “social districts,” areas of the city where open alcohol consumption will be authorized, by a margin of 1,649 in favor, to 1,290 opposed.

House Bill 467, which became law earlier this year, legalizes drinking in designated areas, allowing communities to create such zones for adults to consume alcohol. The bill defines social districts as designated outdoor areas where people can consume alcohol sold by licensed establishments.

Communities in New Hampshire can choose to establish social districts by ballot measure at either Town Meeting or in a Municipal Election, requiring a majority vote for approval. Local governments, if their constituents affirm the question, can set the hours of operation of the social districts, and define boundaries. Licensed vendors in those areas can serve beverages of up to 16 ounces. 

Now, the definition and regulation of social districts is in the hands of city council, which has taken on a new shape following the election.

Voters also approved three other ballot measures: changing the city’s charter to match meetings of the supervisors of the checklist with language found in New Hampshire state law; and amending the charter to move the filing period for municipal elections back from the first Wednesday in August, to the second Wednesday in July.