With last year’s town vote, there was a major change in the Hooksett Town Charter and Rules of Procedure. The first change is the elimination of districts. The second change is reducing the number of councilors from nine to seven.
While the elimination of districts took place July 1, 2024, the reduction in councilors is not taking place until July 1, 2025. At the town vote March 11, Hooksett residents will be able to select their new councilors as follows:
• Three seats for a three-year term ending 6/30/2028.
• Two seats for a two-year term ending 6/30/2027.
• 2 seats for a one-year term ending 6/30/2026.
Councilor Keith Judge is not running for one of the seven councilor vacancies this year, so he has been chosen to be our Councilor spotlight. Councilor Judge moved to Hooksett with his family of six daughters in 2020. He desired to become more involved in the process of Hooksett Town government, so he ran for Town Council in 2022 and was voted in for a three-year term.
His day job is at a union as a contract negotiator. He found this role became difficult if not impossible for fellow town officials and residents to not consider during dealings with his as a town councilor. Since he always steps aside and refrains from voting where a union conflict could be presented, he feels that he is able to perform the duties of councilor with no conflict of interest.
His goal was and remains to see Hooksett as a family town as he states over 50 percent of the town makeup is families. He is a family man himself and enjoys spending time with his family, which includes watching and cheering on his daughters (ages 6 to 22), whether it be lacrosse, soccer or dance. In fact, he enjoys the athletic aspect so much that he has been an HYAA basketball coach to youth girls for years.
While Councilor Judge is not running in this March election because he was unable to meet the filing vacancy due to his work travel obligation, he says he plans to run in the future. We thank Councilor Judge for his service to the Town of Hooksett and wish him the best.
