David Nagel
Serving as: NH House Belknap County District 06
Rep. Nagel changed party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in February 2026.
These objective, nonpartisan measures are used to show this legislator's activities at the Statehouse in 2025 and 2026. The measures are not intended to present a ranking or rating of any kind. Average is that of all state elected officials in this chamber.
Session days attended
Party unity score/partisanship
Participated in official roll call votes
Bills sponsored (as prime sponsor)
Prime sponsored bills that became law
Completed our 2024 State Candidate Survey
Position on Issues
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Do you support the “Education Freedom Account” program, which gives students access to the per-pupil share of state school funding to spend on private school or home school expenses?
"I am not opposed to EFA's in the right setting. I have two children. Both went to private schools, Catholic schools for grammar school, prep schools for high school. One had an IEP and still had full access to supportive programs at our public school. While the concept of an IEP occurred to me, the amount that is currently offered is trivial compared to the cost of the education they received, an issue that is much more dramatic now. Furthermore, all private schools offer substantial need-based scholarships which make such a progams unnecessary for this purpose. Again, I am not opposed to the concept. However, I struggle with it in a state that provides the lowest support to public education in the country, has ineffective oversight of home schooling, and has ineffective oversight of the program as a whole. Furthermore, these programs do create budgetary nightmares for schools which must follow federal and state law when hiring, creating programs, etc. These issues must be addressed before we create EFA programs which, to me, are an educational luxury in a society that has plenty. We do not."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the first trimester (e.g. after 6 weeks gestation)?
"I do not personally believe in abortion, but I also struggle with the notion of forcing my beliefs on others. I believe our current state law adequately addressed the views of the majority of most granite staters with one exception. I believe Part V of the fetal life protection act is harmful because of its un-intended consequences. It unnecessarily creates a risk management nightmare in the decision to terminate a pregnancy to save the life of a mother after 24 weeks. The un-intended consequences include slowed reaction time to emergency situations creating harm to mother, baby or both. Also, it is nearly impossible to attract high risk obstetricians to states with such laws which would add to pressures closing obstetrical wards and force high risk pregnancies out of state for care. These consequences can easily by resolved through multi-stakeholder engagement. By putting oversight of this issue first in the hands of the board of medicine, the problem created can become solved"Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the second trimester (e.g. after 15 weeks gestation)?
"I do not personally believe in abortion, but I also struggle with the notion of forcing my beliefs on others. I believe our current state law adequately addressed the views of the majority of most granite staters with one exception. I believe Part V of the fetal life protection act is harmful because of its un-intended consequences. It unnecessarily creates a risk management nightmare in the decision to terminate a pregnancy to save the life of a mother after 24 weeks. The un-intended consequences include slowed reaction time to emergency situations creating harm to mother, baby or both. Also, it is nearly impossible to attract high risk obstetricians to states with such laws which would add to pressures closing obstetrical wards and force high risk pregnancies out of state for care. These consequences can easily by resolved through multi-stakeholder engagement. By putting oversight of this issue first in the hands of the board of medicine, the problem created can become solved"Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should NH add an income tax on earned income?
"New Hampshire is the only state in the United States that relies on only one of the 3 broad based taxes (income, sales, property). 41 States use all 3, including many 'red' states. That is economically smart because it is a less regressive approach, spreads out the pain of taxes, and makes the state less vulnerable to variables such as inflation, availability of federal funding and grants, etc. The New Hampshire system of funding is not viable. It puts way too high a burden on lower income workers. We can do much better. I am opposed to throwing darts at this problem and seeing what sticks. This is too important an issue to wing it or rely on economic theories that we know do not work in small states as we have been doing the past several years. I have proposed a bi-partisan commission to examine the way we fund our government. There are many states that do this well in a fiscally and socially responsible manner. We should study those examples and allow We the People to choose how to fund our state with maximal knowledge, not based on hyperbole, unworkable theories, or bias."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should NH add a broad-based sales tax?
"Against"
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?
"This needs to be decided in a much broader context as I have outlined above. There is a sweet spot where the number is high enough businesses pay their fair share (being careful to define what that means), while low enough that it encourages businesses to come to NH. The latter is the justification for the last two rounds of business tax cuts. I would argue we are low enough now, and, unlike current policy, that any surplus be refunded to the people, not businesses. I would also argue that we could do a better job of attracting business by effectively addressing childcare, housing costs, education, and retention of our young, all of which are more important factors in attracting businesses to our state and keeping them here.."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire add a tax on capital gains?
"Against"
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire government do more to address climate change?
"For"
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support giving voters who register without ID on Election Day a ballot that only counts if they return identifying documents to the state before a deadline?
"Against"
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should the state do more to encourage municipalities to remove zoning barriers to housing development?
"yes, but this is just one of 4 principles that need to be looked at including: innovative cost/effective designs, more innovative and effective funding mechanism, minimizing regulatory red tape such as zoning laws, and addressing the problem of home speculation. The latter is a huge problem in NH. NH is one of the few states in the country where housing costs are rising. To have an effect, we need to simultaneously address all 4 issues in a coordinated manner."Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Do you support legislation to expand the net energy metering system capacity cap from 1 MW to 5 MW for all residential and commercial customers in New Hampshire?
"There are pros and cons that need to be balanced. The pro is the increased incentives for renewable, cost-effective energy. The con is we all use the greater power grid and need to be responsible for non-renewable costs to the greater whole, and we all need to pay for that. There is a sweet spot to net metering, which I know is above 1, but 5 may be too high. I look forward to the dialogue on this. We can certainly look to other states, how they have resolved this, and the ramifications and/or benefits. In either case, the net goal is reduce energy cost and I would support the direction that accomplishes that."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire guarantee the right to access abortion before 24 weeks?
"I do not personally believe in abortion, but I also struggle with the notion of forcing my beliefs on others. I believe our current state law adequately addressed the views of the majority of most granite staters with one exception. I believe Part V of the fetal life protection act is harmful because of its un-intended consequences. It unnecessarily creates a risk management nightmare in the decision to terminate a pregnancy to save the life of a mother after 24 weeks. The un-intended consequences include slowed reaction time to emergency situations creating harm to mother, baby or both. Also, it is nearly impossible to attract high risk obstetricians to states with such laws which would add to pressures closing obstetrical wards and force high risk pregnancies out of state for care. These consequences can easily by resolved through multi-stakeholder engagement. By putting oversight of this issue first in the hands of the board of medicine, the problem created can become solved"Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should the state increase funding for child care providers?
"This is needed, but needs to be done thoughtfully with all other options exhausted."
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Do you support New Hampshire’s current system of public school funding, with about two-thirds of total funding coming from local property taxes?
"New Hampshire ranks as one of the worst states in the country for disparity of education. The leading factor in creating this concerning metric was disparity of property tax rates between communities. The Claremont decision recognized this inequity more than 30 years ago, and based on Part II, Article 83 of the New Hampshire Constitution imposes a duty on the State to provide a 'constitutionally adequate education' to every educable child in the state's public schools and to guarantee adequate funding for that education. We feel this intimately in Gilmanton where we share a school with Gilford, yet our tax rates are dramatically different, creating a lot of financial stress for our residents. Capping property tax will create more inequity and do nothing to solve the problem. Again, we seriously need to look at how we fund our schools in a much more balanced way. This is just simple economics and the subject of the commission I have recommended."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by allowing home-growing and private use without sales?
"This issue is part of a chapter in my book Needless Suffering, How Society Fails Those with Chronic Pain, which I would encourage the reader to check out. You can read the chapter without buying the book. US Law is focused on the Eye for an Eye principle in which the punishment should never exceed the crime. The history of cannabis prohibition, in this regard, is regrettable. However, we cannot deny that cannabis is an addictive drug with substantial harmful repercussions for many. It is open to discussion if it is worse than alcohol. It depends on what metric is used. I am somewhat supportive of legalization and these means of dispensing, with the latter two being either or, not both. It is critical we understand that while legalization can create a revenue stream for the state, there are hidden costs. Cannabis use disorder is an ever-increasing problem that does create substantial cost. Furthermore, most individuals with opioid and other substance disorders cite alcohol or cannabis as their first drug. These costs need to be anticipated when making public policy. Driving under the influence is an ever-increasing problem that will only increase as we develop reliable testing for it. If we do go this route, I would suggest the funding created be devoted to education and health and human services, specifically services for addiction prevention and mental health."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by licensing growers and private retail locations?
"This issue is part of a chapter in my book Needless Suffering, How Society Fails Those with Chronic Pain, which I would encourage the reader to check out. You can read the chapter without buying the book. US Law is focused on the Eye for an Eye principle in which the punishment should never exceed the crime. The history of cannabis prohibition, in this regard, is regrettable. However, we cannot deny that cannabis is an addictive drug with substantial harmful repercussions for many. It is open to discussion if it is worse than alcohol. It depends on what metric is used. I am somewhat supportive of legalization and these means of dispensing, with the latter two being either or, not both. It is critical we understand that while legalization can create a revenue stream for the state, there are hidden costs. Cannabis use disorder is an ever-increasing problem that does create substantial cost. Furthermore, most individuals with opioid and other substance disorders cite alcohol or cannabis as their first drug. These costs need to be anticipated when making public policy. Driving under the influence is an ever-increasing problem that will only increase as we develop reliable testing for it. If we do go this route, I would suggest the funding created be devoted to education and health and human services, specifically services for addiction prevention and mental health."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by establishing state-run cannabis stores?
"This issue is part of a chapter in my book Needless Suffering, How Society Fails Those with Chronic Pain, which I would encourage the reader to check out. You can read the chapter without buying the book. US Law is focused on the Eye for an Eye principle in which the punishment should never exceed the crime. The history of cannabis prohibition, in this regard, is regrettable. However, we cannot deny that cannabis is an addictive drug with substantial harmful repercussions for many. It is open to discussion if it is worse than alcohol. It depends on what metric is used. I am somewhat supportive of legalization and these means of dispensing, with the latter two being either or, not both. It is critical we understand that while legalization can create a revenue stream for the state, there are hidden costs. Cannabis use disorder is an ever-increasing problem that does create substantial cost. Furthermore, most individuals with opioid and other substance disorders cite alcohol or cannabis as their first drug. These costs need to be anticipated when making public policy. Driving under the influence is an ever-increasing problem that will only increase as we develop reliable testing for it. If we do go this route, I would suggest the funding created be devoted to education and health and human services, specifically services for addiction prevention and mental health."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire raise the minimum wage?
"Minimum wage increases tend to hurt those they are designed to help. This needs to be done cautiously, tied to cost of living, etc."
Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire add legal protections for residents of other states who travel here for health care related to abortion or gender transition?
"Undecided"
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire repeal the ban on abortion after 24 weeks gestation?
"I do not personally believe in abortion, but I also struggle with the notion of forcing my beliefs on others. I believe our current state law adequately addressed the views of the majority of most granite staters with one exception. I believe Part V of the fetal life protection act is harmful because of its un-intended consequences. It unnecessarily creates a risk management nightmare in the decision to terminate a pregnancy to save the life of a mother after 24 weeks. The un-intended consequences include slowed reaction time to emergency situations creating harm to mother, baby or both. Also, it is nearly impossible to attract high risk obstetricians to states with such laws which would add to pressures closing obstetrical wards and force high risk pregnancies out of state for care. These consequences can easily by resolved through multi-stakeholder engagement. By putting oversight of this issue first in the hands of the board of medicine, the problem created can become solved"For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should NH require local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement?
"For"
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should NH pass stricter gun control laws?
"It is my impression that the laws we have are present and sufficient. Having lived in rural areas my entire life, I fully appreciate the importance of weapons in our state, more as a means of obtaining food and engaging in a sport enjoyed by millions. The impetus behind greater control is protection of those with mental illness. To me, gun control is too often yet another bandaid we put over a festering wound. If we truly want to affect these issues, we need to commit more resources to the treatment of mental illness, something I have been committed to as the chair of the state health assessment and implementation plan. Access for those who use guns responsibly needs to be protected while caring for those in need needs to be prioritized."
