Barbara M. Ward
Democratic · NH · Portsmouth Board of Registrars Chair
Barbara M. Ward chairs Portsmouth's Board of Registrars and works as a senior grant writer for the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. She has a Ph.D. in American and New England Studies and experience in museum work and historic preservation.
Where Barbara M. Ward stands, based on their records
Supports
Election Integrity (1 record)
Track record
Track record — Election Integrity
Election Integrity · 1 support
Spoke as Portsmouth's Registrar At Large to the city's Citywide Neighborhood Committee about voting problems in New Hampshire. She raised unclear rules on voter domicile, aging vote-counting machines, the need for a paper trail, and absentee ballots rejected over missing signatures.
April 17, 2019Supports Election Integrity
Source: files.portsmouthnh.gov
Track record — General
General · 7 records
Won re-election as Portsmouth's citywide Registrar of Voters At Large, beating Republican Norman Olsen 4,067 to 1,228. It was her seventh straight win for the post since 2013.
November 4, 2025
Source: files.portsmouthnh.gov
Was hired by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire as its Senior Grant Writer and Program Developer, a new post for major grants and program planning.
March 13, 2021
Source: blackheritagetrailnh.org
Led the Moffatt-Ladd House and Garden in Portsmouth as its director and curator, and started a federally funded high school program on slavery in the Revolutionary era. The program centered on the 1779 Petition of Freedom signed by 20 enslaved men.
March 13, 2021
Source: blackheritagetrailnh.org
Proposed conditions on the planned demolition of Carey Cottage at 400 Little Harbor Road, including a historic sign, an arborist review, an archaeology study, and salvage of building parts. She also urged the City Council to consider a longer demolition review period. The committee then voted unanimously to delay demolition the full 90 days.
May 23, 2019
Source: files.portsmouthnh.gov
Moved on Portsmouth's Demolition Review Committee to declare the former St. Patrick's school building at 98 Summer Street historically significant, delaying its planned demolition for parking. The motion passed unanimously.
December 19, 2018
Source: files.portsmouthnh.gov
Seconded a motion on Portsmouth's Demolition Review Committee asking the City Council to remove a new rule that exempted some projects from demolition review. The committee passed it 5-0, saying the exemption would weaken public input.
November 28, 2018
Source: files.portsmouthnh.gov
Won her first election as Portsmouth's citywide Registrar of Voters At Large, a two-year post on the board that keeps the city's voter list. She ran as a Democrat and beat Republican Arthur Parrott 2,440 to 1,291.
November 5, 2013
Source: files.portsmouthnh.gov
Past race Barbara M. Ward ran in:
- State Representative · November 3, 2026 · State House District Rockingham 39; New Hampshire