| Ellen Read | |
| State House: | New Hampshire |
| District: | Rockingham 17 |
| Term Start: | December 2016 |
| Residence: | Newmarket, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Website: | https://www.ellen4nh.com/ |
| Party: | Democratic (2016-2021)(2022-Present) |
| Alma Mater: | University of New Hampshire (MA) Vanderbilt University (BS) |
| Otherparty: | Independent (2021-2022) |
Ellen Read is a New Hampshire politician. She is a Democratic member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
On November 8, 2016, Read was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives where she represents the Rockingham 17 district. Read assumed office in 2016. Read is a Democrat.[1] Read serves on the Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee.[2] Read endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.[3] She is the founder of the New Hampshire Progressive Caucus.
In 2021, Read left the Democratic party to sit as an independent. She cited issues with Democratic Party leadership, specifically with alleged corruption by Representative Cathryn Harvey.[4] In 2022, Read re-joined the Democratic Party.
Read grew up the eldest of five in south Memphis, Tennessee. Read holds a master’s degree in liberal studies – environmental and socioeconomic ethics and policy from the UNH (2011), as well as a BS in molecular and cellular biology from Vanderbilt University (2003), with a double minor in religious studies and Japanese. She has worked as a high school teacher in Japan (2003-2006) as well as an adjunct professor of American government at Great Bay Community College. Read has resided in Newmarket, New Hampshire, since 2009.[5] [6]
Read is considered a progressive representative.
In 2018 and 2020, Read sponsored a constitutional amendment to the New Hampshire Constitution to allow for recall elections.[7] [8]
In 2022, Read co-sponsored a constitutional amendment to allow for citizen led initiatives.[9]
In 2024, Read introduced a constitutional amendment to make the default oath of office be the non-religious oath.[10]
In 2017, Read sponsored a bill to allow for no-excuse absentee voting.[11]
In 2019, Read co-sponsored a proposed constitutional amendment to allow for no-excuse absentee voting.[12]
Read is a leading advocate for ranked choice voting. Read has repeatedly introduced bills to implement ranked choice voting in New Hampshire.[13] [14] [15] [16] [17]