Incumbent Heather Raymond topped the ticket in the Board of Education race with 7,367 votes. Courtesy photo

NASHUA – Three of the ward races in the Nov. 4 city election were decided by less than 40 votes, according to the unofficial results from the City Clerk’s Office.

The tightest race was in Ward 5 where challenger Paula Johnson topped the ticket with 625 votes. Her closest opponent, Dr. Justin Gerstenfield, finished just 15 votes behind Johnson. She will succeed Alderman Ernest Jette, who is leaving the board after eight years. Also in Ward 5, challengers Jennice Chewlin and Brenda Garneau finished with 421 votes and 187 votes respectively.

There was only a 22-vote difference in Ward 6 as challenger Vengerflutta Smith garnered 490 votes to unseat Alderman Christopher Thibodeau, who received 468 votes.

“Ward 6 voters came out for me,” Smith said in a Facebook post. “Thank you to all my supporters, family and friends and especially the voters I connected with for this election. I am sincerely humbled and ready to work for Ward 6 and our great city of Nashua. I thank my opponent for his gracious congratulation and well wishes. I am excited for my win and look forward to joining the Aldermanic team in the horse shoe.”

In Ward 1, challenger Stephen Chess picked up 982 votes to slip by challenger Hailey Gallagher by 37 votes.

State Rep. Alicia Gregg (D-Nashua) led the way in the alderman-at-large race with 7,385 votes. Courtesy photo

There was a much wider gulf in Ward 2 where Alderman Richard Dowd collected 823 votes to soundly defeat challenger Matthew Gouthro, who had 625 votes.

Ward 8 Alderman Derek Thibeault had the greatest margin of victory of all the contested ward races, securing 824 votes to breeze past challenger David MacLaughlin by 396 votes.

“I am humbled to be elected by my constituents for a third consecutive term. The margin of victory shows the trust that the voters of Ward 8 have in me,” said Thibeault. “I will continue to serve my city and my ward with integrity and accountability. I thank everyone in Ward 8 who voted for me. Nashua elected strong individuals for the Board of Education and for alderman-at-large. I look forward to working with the new board in 2026.”

Ward 9 Alderman John Sullivan also had an impressive showing with 848 votes to lock in another two years on the board. His opponent, State Rep. Linda Harriott-Gathright (D-Nashua), received 659 votes.

“Thank you for showing up and putting me back into the seat I love,” said Sullivan. “I appreciate Linda Gathright for being a worthy opponent and am grateful for her continued commitment to Ward 9 at the state level.”

Ward 8 Alderman Derek Thibeault had the greatest margin of victory of all the contested ward races, securing 824 votes to breeze past challenger David MacLaughlin by 396 votes. Courtesy photo

In Ward 3, Alderwoman Patricia Klee ran unopposed and received 952 votes.

“I want to thank all of those who ran but did not win,” she said. “I know that you worked hard from gathering your nomination papers to knocking on doors and making phone calls — and being out in the cold and wind on Election Day. A defeat is disappointing but please never give up.”

Ward 4 Alderman Thomas Lopez and Ward 7 Alderman Timothy Sennott also ran unopposed, garnering 365 votes and 795 votes respectively.

In the race for alderman-at-large, State Rep. Alicia Gregg (D-Nashua) led the way with 7,385 votes.

“I’m deeply honored by your trust and ready to get to work for everyone in our city. I’ve listened to your hopes, frustrations and ideas,” she said. “They will stay with me every day in this role. I can’t wait for the conversations we haven’t had yet, the ones that will help shape what’s next.

Candidate Paula Johnson topped the ticket in the Ward 5 race with 625 votes, narrowly defeating Dr. Justin Gerstenfield, who finished with 610 votes. Courtesy photo

There’s so much good happening here and even greater things ahead when we work together. I’m committed to continuing to show up, listen and make sure every voice has a place at the table.”

Challenger Amber Morgan finished in second place with 7,266 votes while Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly secured another four-year term with 7,017 votes.

Tyler Gouveia finished in last place with 5,619 votes and will be leaving the board after four years as the Ward 1 alderman.

“Serving as your Ward 1 alderman has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I want to thank everyone who knocked doors, made calls and believed in our message,” he said. “Your support means the world to me. While last night’s results didn’t go our way, I couldn’t be prouder of the campaign we ran; positive, community-focused and rooted in the belief that Nashua’s best days are still ahead.”

The race for Board of Education was led by incumbents Heather Raymond and Regan Lamphier. Raymond topped the ticket with 7,367 votes while Lamphier garnered 5,687 votes.

“I am so grateful to all the volunteers who spent their weekends knocking on doors, holding signs on cold mornings, braving the gale force winds at the polls and everyone who came out to cast their votes,” said Raymond. “This year there were more good candidates than seats available. It was inspiring to run with people who care deeply about Nashua and the well being of our community’s children. I hope to see them run again in two years when the other five seats are open.”

The two incumbents will be joined by State Rep. Santosh Salvi (D-Nashua), who received 5,596 votes and challenger Jaimeika Lewis, who received 5,242 votes.

“This campaign wasn’t built by a big team or a large budget, it was powered by will, determination and faith,” said Lewis. “Every late night, every door knock, every conversation mattered. To the strong and amazing women who came before me, thank you for breaking barriers, for creating space, and for showing what leadership with heart looks like. Your strength and perseverance have opened doors for so many of us to walk through. I carry your legacy forward with pride and purpose.”

Challengers who fell short include Kendra Soucie-Smith, who had 5,105 votes, Michael Hurlburt, who had 3,113 votes and Oscar Villacis, who had 2,574 votes.

Regarding the two ballot questions, Question 1 passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 8,994 to 2,284. The vote will amend the City Charter to allow two more members to be added to the Board of Health for a total of five members. However, Question 2 was rejected by a vote of 6,426 to 4,556 and prohibits Nashua from having social districts.

Raymond Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said the changes in local leadership bode well going forward.

“Democrats had incredible victories here in New Hampshire and across the country,” he said. “From sweeps in Manchester, Nashua and Portsmouth to a big win for Democratic mayors across the state, Granite Staters made it clear that they are tired of the Republican chaos. The message is clear: we’re fighting back and we’re winning.”