State Rep. Alice Wade, a Democrat from Dover, took issue with the losing the requirements for recusal.

“I think it was broad to the extent that you could make an argument that any financial impact is influenced by a third party,” Wade said before the vote, “including some that could be seen as very direct but interpreted through this language to not require recusal in a time where we already don’t have many recusals happening generally.”

A bipartisan group of New Hampshire state lawmakers tasked with reviewing whether a Republican colleague should be punished for his inflammatory social media activity decided Wednesday to recommend that he be formally censured.

Democratic Representative Alice Wade said the severity of Corcoran’s conduct warrants more than a mere wag of the finger.

“I am willing to settle for censure, but I will not settle for reprimand,” she said. “I don’t think that’s enough.”

It’s been an interesting first term in the New Hampshire House to put it mildly. I’ve gotten to see how things get done, or more often than not don’t get done, in one of the largest legislative bodies in the world. I thought it would be worth taking a bit of time to collect my thoughts on what I’ve learned so far.

Things that used to end political careers overnight are a weekly occurrence in the New Hampshire House of Representatives these days, and yet the only ones receiving punishments seem to be Democrats.

The proposed amendment, CACR 25, would declare in the state constitution the right to marry as “a fundamental civil right.” The amendment would state that the state of New Hampshire “recognizes and shall protect the right of every individual, regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or race, to marry and to have their marriage legally recognized.” It would prohibit any laws or government actions from preventing that marriage, and would bar any unequal treatment. 

The effort has Democrats’ support. Rep. Alice Wade, a Dover Democrat, who is transgender, said she had heard from LGBTQ+ married couples who are scared of the current climate at the Supreme Court.

Since 2012, the Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition has been recognizing emerging social justice leaders with the Vanessa Washington-Johnson Bloemen Award, named in memory of their late program director. This year, the award went to state Rep. Alice Wade, D-Dover.

“People are fed up. The tides are turning, and it’s on all of us to stand up for what’s right in this moment. I promise to continue working to bend the arc of history alongside all of you this year and however long it takes,” Wade said.

The political climate in the United States is bleak at best and terrifying at worst for many in the LBGTQ+ community right now. Navigating headlines and house bills is hard for anyone, especially for those being attacked by the current administration.

But not all is lost, as long as changemakers like 23-year-old Alice Wade have something to say about it. Wade, both an aerospace engineer and politician, is the New Hampshire State Representative for Dover’s Ward 2. This makes her one not only one of the youngest state representatives in the U.S., but one of the few trans politicians in the country.

A few weeks ago, I visited the Strafford County Jail for the first time. I wasn’t there for someone I knew, but to accompany the wife and son of Juan Francisco Mendez, a Guatemalan asylum-seeker who had been wrongfully detained by ICE.

New Hampshire is known for a lot of things. Beautiful scenery, the White Mountains, and sky-high property taxes. Property taxes that always go up, year after year. At Thanksgiving, my fiance’s family and I got into a conversation about why this keeps happening. The answer, it turns out, has everything to do with decisions made in Concord.

When state Rep. Alice Wade, D-Dover, told the New Hampshire House in mid-March that transitioning had saved her life, she knew many of her Republican colleagues didn’t yet know she is transgender.

But for Wade, sharing who is she is part of the fight against the wave of anti-transgender legislation sweeping through New Hampshire and across the country.

Donald Trump’s presidency has been sold to the public like a miracle cure. He promised to fix inflation, end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, and "Make America Great Again." But as with any snake oil salesman, the promises never matched reality.

Trump claims to have a mandate, a supposed endorsement of his vision for America. But with a razor-thin victory margin and less than 50% of the popular vote, his win is far from a landslide.

The size of New Hampshire’s state legislature is quite unique among its peers, not just around the US, but around the globe. With 400 State Representatives and 24 Senators, we have more legislators than many developed countries, despite being one of the smallest states in the US. With approximately 3,500 people per representative and the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, New Hampshire is known for having very politically engaged citizens. 

But is this really the case? Who is allowed to be engaged in our political system and why? How can we make it more accessible, equitable, and accountable?

Tuesday, November 5th 2024. What else do I need to say? The American people made their choice, and we as a country and in our own communities will have to reckon with that choice over the next four years. 

I won’t offer blind reassurance about what’s to come, but national politics alone won’t shape our future. Trump’s nominations of Matt Gaetz for Attorney General and RFK Jr. for Health Secretary isn’t exactly the greatest sign for the incoming administration, but if we’re going to continue making progress in the next four years, that starts with local resilience. Instead of dwelling on federal politics, let’s focus on how we can improve our communities over the next four years.

It's difficult to find the right words right now because I can't blindly reassure folks and tell you everything's going to be fine. It's ok to be sad, angry, confused, or scared right now for what's going to happen in the next few years. In the coming weeks and months, we are going to regroup, organize, and fight to protect our rights.

Candidate Alice Wade shares her views as she seeks election in Strafford 15's state representative district (Dover Ward 2).

If you’ve been outside this summer, you know how hot it’s been lately. The heat and humidity has stretched long into the evening hours, making 2024 on track to be the hottest summer on record.

And yet it seems like every year we breeze past that record without a second thought, without considering the world in which our children will live in the not too distant future.

Alice Wade and Lucas Veitch are duking it out in Dover's Ward 2 to earn the Democratic nomination for state representative for Strafford County District 15.

Whoever wins will face Republican Keith Mistretta, who is running unopposed, in November. They are all running to replace Bill Conlin, D-Dover, who is not running for re-election, to represent Dover Ward 2.

More than 100 transgender residents and allies rallied outside the State House on Sunday night to send a message to Gov. Chris Sununu: In New Hampshire, it's "Live free or die" unless you are trans.

Just a few weeks ago, the New Hampshire Senate voted to pass a bill enabling widespread book bans throughout the state. The House has continued attempting to increase the income cap to use school vouchers or even remove it entirely. All while students and teachers suffer as a result.

New Hampshire residents gathered in front of the statehouse Wednesday morning to urge Gov. Chris Sununu to veto four recently passed bills that would curb rights for LGBTQ+ people.