Thomas P. Velardi has served as the Strafford County Attorney since winning the election in 2008. He has run unopposed ever since, and is doing so again this year. Velardi attended UNH for his undergraduate education, and attended Marquette University for his law degree.

In order to run for county attorney, an individual must have passed the bar exam, a test needed to become a licensed attorney. The office’s primary role is to spend time working on prosecuting various public cases in the given county. It is also required to spend time working with local law enforcement officers to help them with training.  

“My upbringing helps me to appreciate what a supportive family looks like which helps my approach when I am working with people who have not enjoyed the same upbringing,” Velardi said, detailing how his childhood shaped him and his outlook on his job.  

The main part of the job he enjoys is his responsibilities as a participant in the drug court and mental health court programs to help offenders get rehabilitated. 

Since Velardi is running unopposed, he has been able to focus on his day-to-day tasks to ensure his staff is doing the best they can. This is especially helpful given he will spend most of his next term dealing with the backlog of court cases caused by pandemic restrictions, Velardi said. 

For students looking for more information on how to vote in the upcoming election on Nov. 8, 603 Forward offers information on their website. Students can also access more information on how to vote by checking out the University of New Hampshire Voting page.