NH State Rep, Strafford District 5, Rochester Ward 1
About Will
William “Will” Fessenden is a longtime Rochester resident, husband, father, and technology
professional who has called New Hampshire home for nearly 40 years. A UNH graduate with a
B.A. in Political Science, Will has spent more than 25 years working in information technology
and higher education. Since 2005, he has worked at UNH’s Center for Coastal and Ocean
Mapping/NOAA-UNH Joint Hydrographic Center, where he currently serves as IT Manager
supporting scientific research, educational outreach, and federal ocean-mapping programs. As
the parent of a child in Rochester’s public schools, Will has a personal stake in keeping New
Hampshire affordable and ensuring communities have the resources they need to thrive.
Will is running for the NH House because he believes government should solve problems, not
manufacture them. His approach is progressive, practical, and grounded in evidence:
strengthen public schools, protect individual freedoms, improve housing and health care
affordability, protect New Hampshire’s natural resources, and build a fairer, more sustainable
tax system. He believes legislators should listen to their communities and make transparent
decisions based on what will improve people’s lives. Will wants to bring a thoughtful, equitable
approach to Concord and make sure Rochester has a strong voice in deciding the future of our
state.
As a State Representative, Will will work to:
- Strengthen and fairly fund public education, increasing the state’s responsibility for education costs and reducing the burden placed on local property taxpayers.
- Make New Hampshire’s tax system fairer and more sustainable, while opposing a broad-based income or sales tax and ending policies that simply shift state costs onto cities and towns.
- Expand access to affordable housing and lower household costs, supporting responsible housing development, sensible zoning reform, and policies that address New Hampshire’s high energy costs.
- Protect individual rights and personal freedom, including reproductive freedom, equal treatment under the law, privacy, and the rights of law-abiding Granite Staters to own firearms responsibly.
- Improve access to affordable health care and essential services, particularly for working families, seniors, people with disabilities, and residents living on fixed incomes.