Joyce Weston
Joyce Weston (Democratic Party) was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, representing Grafton 8. She assumed office on December 5, 2018. She left office on December 7, 2022.
Weston (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the New Hampshire House of Representatives to represent Grafton 8. She won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at:editor@ballotpedia.org.
2021-2022
Weston was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
Weston was assigned to the following committees:
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
Joyce Weston did not file to run for re-election.
2020
See also: New Hampshire House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 (3 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Suzanne Smith (D) | 21.0 | 2,989 | |
| ✔ | Sallie Fellows (D) | 20.1 | 2,852 | |
| ✔ | Joyce Weston (D) | 19.6 | 2,788 | |
| Mike McLaughlin (R) | 14.2 | 2,024 | ||
| George Kirk (R) | 12.9 | 1,833 | ||
| Steven Benedetto (R) | 12.1 | 1,724 | ||
| Total votes: 14,210 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 (3 seats)
Incumbent Suzanne Smith, incumbent Sallie Fellows, and incumbent Joyce Weston advanced from the Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 on September 8, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Suzanne Smith | 34.2 | 1,060 | |
| ✔ | Sallie Fellows | 33.1 | 1,028 | |
| ✔ | Joyce Weston | 32.2 | 999 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 15 | ||
| Total votes: 3,102 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 (3 seats)
Mike McLaughlin, George Kirk, and Steven Benedetto advanced from the Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 on September 8, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Mike McLaughlin | 35.8 | 503 | |
| ✔ | George Kirk | 34.7 | 488 | |
| ✔ | Steven Benedetto | 28.7 | 403 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.8 | 11 | ||
| Total votes: 1,405 | ||||
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2018
General election
General election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 (3 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Suzanne Smith (D) | 22.8 | 2,528 | |
| ✔ | Sallie Fellows (D) | 22.1 | 2,447 | |
| ✔ | Joyce Weston (D) | 21.3 | 2,360 | |
| Lynn Durham (R) | 11.8 | 1,309 | ||
| David Nash (R) | 11.6 | 1,291 | ||
| Hank Marquis (R) | 10.3 | 1,146 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 8 | ||
| Total votes: 11,089 | ||||
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 (3 seats)
Incumbent Suzanne Smith, Sallie Fellows, and Joyce Weston defeated incumbent Steven Rand in the Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 on September 11, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Suzanne Smith | 27.4 | 747 | |
| ✔ | Sallie Fellows | 26.7 | 730 | |
| ✔ | Joyce Weston | 23.3 | 637 | |
| Steven Rand | 22.5 | 615 | ||
| Total votes: 2,729 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 (3 seats)
Lynn Durham, David Nash, and Hank Marquis advanced from the Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Grafton 8 on September 11, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Lynn Durham | 35.9 | 371 | |
| ✔ | David Nash | 33.7 | 348 | |
| ✔ | Hank Marquis | 30.5 | 315 | |
| Total votes: 1,034 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joyce Weston did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joyce Weston completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Weston's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Economic development of NH's northern counties, more state support for public schools, fair taxation.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Women in New Hampshire are not getting a fair shake. We are 48th in the country in income disparity between men and women. We have a minimum wage of only $7.25, and women hold most of the low-wage jobs (in line with Alabama and Mississippi). I will work on raising the minimum wage to $15 over a number of years, increasing the "tip wage", which is below the minimum wage, and other legislation that will help women, such as the Paid Medical Leave Act and programs to encourage girls in math and science in our school system.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Representative Annie McLane Kuster has been a good and responsive legislator for NH, helping us to help our veterans and victims of the opioid epidemic. I am also a strong admirer of President Obama and his wife Michelle.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
I am currently enjoying Representative John Delaney's book, The Right Answer.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
My father was a Republican and my mother a Democrat. This dychotomy taught me that people with different opinions can discuss issues in a civil manner and come to concensus.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I have respect for people with opposing points of view, understanding that thier experience can be very different from my own. I think I am a good listener.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
A House representative needs to study the issues carefully, communicate with fellow representatives about the pros and cons of each bill, and most important — be there to vote!
What legacy would you like to leave?
I hope to energize the Northern towns in New Hampshire with support for entrepreneurial enterprises and job growth in mid-size companies, retaining in more young families. We need to make health care affordable, keep our schools safe, and protect voting rights.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
There have been many, starting with the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Reverand King, and Bobbie Kennedy. I remember the first moon walk and the activities of the Black Panthers. I was active in the women's liberation movement of the 1970s. I was impacted by Three Mile Island and 9/11.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I started working at a local ski area when I was 10 years old, wiping off the tables after breakfast and lunch. My "pay" was free skiing. I worked at a local beach flipping burgers at 14. My first "real" job was in a publishing firm in NYC, designing books.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
Halloween. I love seeing the children -- and dogs -- all dressed up.
What is your favorite book? Why?
I have many favorite books, but one that has recently made an impact is "To Make Men Free, the History of the Republican Party, by Heather Cox Richardson.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Brazil
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
Yes. I was chair of the Plymouth Area Democrats, an arm of the NH Democratic Party. This has helped me understand the dynamics of politics in NH
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
Fair taxation. Reliance on property tax alone is unfair and burdensome to property-poor towns.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
Balance.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Absolutely. I will work with both Democrats and Republicans, to the degree possible.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
I would like to see a non-partisan, independent commission to determine the districts. I also would entertain the idea of having fewer legislators in NH (the House has 400 members).
If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?
It is too soon to tell.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Yes, my co-candidate, Rep. Suzanne Smith
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
No.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of New Hampshire scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2022
In 2022, the New Hampshire State Legislature was in session from January 5 to May 26.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on economic issues.
- Legislators are scored based on their votes and if they align with the organization's values.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored based on if they voted with the Republican Party.
- Legislators are scored by the organization "on pro-liberty and anti-liberty roll call votes."
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
- Legislators are scored on their stances on policies related to reproductive health issues.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the New Hampshire State Legislature was in session from January 6 to June 24.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the New Hampshire State Legislature was in session from January 8 to June 30. The session was suspended from March 14 to June 11.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the New Hampshire General Court was in session from January 2 through June 30.
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See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
