New Hampshire has an Executive, Legislative and Judicial branch like the other 49 states and U.S Federal Government. However, unlike many other states which have a Lieutenant Governor, New Hampshire's Executive Branch consists of the Governor and an Executive Council of 5 members.
The Executive Council approves all state appointments, judicial appointments, and contracts over $5,000 made by the governor, a responsibility usually done by legislatures. The Executive Council is so overlooked and misunderstood by the electorate that candidates spend most of their campaigns explaining what the Executive Council is.
The Executive Council dates back to the colonial period, when the residents of the Province of New Hampshire elected the first Councilors to act as a check on the Royal Governor's power.
Over time, the constituencies have changed. Today's Executive Council Districts are #1(the North Country and large portions of the Lakes Region), #2 (primarily Sullivan, Merrimack, and Strafford Counties.), #3 (the Seacoast), #4 (Manchester and Western Rockingham County) and #5 (the Monadnock Region and most of Hillsborough County)
2004/2005 Executive Council
| District | Name | Party
|
| 1 | Raymond Burton | Republican
|
| 2 | Peter Spaulding | Republican
|
| 3 | Ruth Griffin | Republican
|
| 4 | Raymond Wieczorek | Republican
|
| 5 | Debora Pignatelli | Democrat
|
