The Sound's 2015 Dover City Council Voter's Guide

Like most Seacoast cities, Dover is growing. Signs of that growth are visible throughout the Garrison City, particularly in downtown, where work continues on a new parking garage and police station on Chestnut Street, as well as a new mixed-use building on nearby First Street.

The parking garage and police station is one of two major projects the city has embarked on since the last city council election in 2013. In July, the council also approved bonding $86 million for a new combined high school and career technical center.

Dover City Hall.

Though Dickinson Development Corp. in 2014 withdrew its longtime plans for redeveloping Dover’s waterfront, the city has established a tax increment financing district for the area and has plans to upgrade infrastructure to make it more attractive to potential developers.

As the city grows, officials are also looking at how to manage increasing costs associated with new federal Environmental Protection Agency rules for stormwater management. And, like other communities, Dover is dealing with downshifting — with less money coming from the state, the city is looking at ways to maintain services while keeping taxes in check. In August, Dover officials filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming that the state’s education funding formula has shortchanged the city some $14 million in funding in the last seven years.

Note: Candidates are listed alphabetically by ward. Ward 6 candidate Jason Gagnon, an incumbent, did not participate in the survey. Responses were edited and condensed for the print edition of the voter’s guide. This is the second in The Sound’s series of voter’s guides for Seacoast cities. Find the guides for Portsmouth, Rochester, and Somersworth here.

Get to know the candidates

The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce and Dover Listens will host two candidate forums. City council and mayoral candidates will take part in a forum on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m., and school board candidates will take part in a forum on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. Both events will be at the McConnell Center, 61 Locust St.

Where and when to vote

Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Dover has a ward-based voting system. For a complete list of polling locations, visit the City Clerk’s website. If you’re not sure which ward you live in, call the City Clerk’s office at 603-516-6018.

You can register to vote at your polling location. Remember: New Hampshire state law requires that you bring a photo ID with you to vote. If you do not have a photo ID, you’ll be required to fill out a “challenged voter affidavit.” Contact the City Clerk’s office for more information.