David H. Watters
New Hampshire State Senator, District 4 since 2012. Ran in 11 elections between 2008 and 2024, winning 10. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 14 yrs
- Since 2012
- Bills became law
- 22
- 46 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 4.3%
- Chamber median 0.0%
- With party
- 98%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +35.9
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Capital Budget
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Finance
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Became law Jul 2026
Became law Jul 2026
Became law Jul 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Watters sits in the New Hampshire State Senate
Watters is closer to the center than 75% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Pat Long, Rebecca Perkins Kwoka, Tara Reardon
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:56 PM ET
With Watters’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats98%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills47%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the New Hampshire State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Watters’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Watters | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2026 | SB 475: relative to pet vendor foster homes, defining pet vendor foster facility, and relative to… | No | No | Yes | Failed 8–16 |
| Aug 19, 2026 | SB 535: defining residential breeder and imported animal for the purposes of animal transfers and… | No | No | No | Failed 5–19 |
| Aug 19, 2026 | SB 434: relative to regulation of public school materials. | No | No | Yes | Passed 16–8 |
| Aug 19, 2026 | SB 468: relative to enabling alternative treatment centers to operate a greenhouse cultivation… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 16–8 |
| Aug 19, 2026 | HB 1766: relative to cruelty to livestock. | No | No | Yes | Failed 11–13 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Watters was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+35.9 | D+21.5 | +14.4 |
| 2024 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+21.0 | D+21.5 | −0.5 |
| 2022 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+26.6 | D+23.7 | +2.9 |
| 2020 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+22.7 | — | — |
| 2018 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2016 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+10.4 | — | — |
| 2014 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+11.3 | — | — |
| 2014 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 (primary) | Won | +97.8 | — | — |
| 2014 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 (primary) | Lost | −98.4 | — | — |
| 2012 | New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+9.5 | — | — |
| 2010 | New Hampshire House of Representatives, Strafford 4 | Won | D+0.5 | — | — |
| 2008 | New Hampshire House of Representatives, Strafford 4 | Won | R+0.6 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Seats Watters has held
- New Hampshire State Senate, District 4 · since 2012
- New Hampshire House of Representatives, District STRAFFORD 4 · 2008–2012
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Watters has run against
- Shawn Mickelonis (R) · 2026 election, won
- Seamus Casey (R) · 2022 election, won
- Frank Bertone (R) · 2020 election, won
- Bill Oconnor (R) · 2016 election, won
- Eddie Edwards (R) · 2014 election, won
- Phyllis Woods (R) · 2012 election, won
- Peter Schmidt (D) · 2010 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know Watters
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/cf24defe-6df3-49f3-88ca-c6774b144f19
- Wikidata Q78963703
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET