State Senate Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, retained his seat after defeating Jeff Ballard, D-Brookfield, in the general election by a vote of 17,629 to 11,967.

Well-known in the Lakes Region, Bradley served in the state Legislature from 1991 to 2001, and in U.S. Congress from 2003 to 2006. He has served in the state Senate for the last four years and as Senate Majority Leader for the past two years.

Among his many accolades, Bradley was twice honored as Citizen of the Year by the N.H. Veterans of Foreign Wars and named State Legislator of the Year by the N.H. Association of Counties, Ski New Hampshire, and the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of N.H.

An avid hiker, Bradley has nearly finished climbing all of New England's 100 highest peaks. At recent candidate events, Bradley stated he worked to protect taxpayers while growing jobs. He said the Senate made difficult decisions to balance the budget while protecting mental health network and services for the developmentally disabled. During his last term he helped pass pension, Medicaid and business tax reforms.

Ballard is a decorated combat veteran who served as an infantry medic with a New Hampshire National Guard Unit in Afghanistan. Ballard, who works as an emergency department nurse, said he witnessed the harmful cuts that have been made to the state's mental heath budget. He said he would work to restore the social safety net the current leadership has ripped apart.

Senate District 3 includes the towns of Albany, Bartlett, Brookfield, Chatham, Conway, Eaton, Effingham, Freedom, Hart's Location, Hale's Location, Jackson, Madison, Moultonborough, Ossipee, Sandwich, Tamworth, Tuftonboro, Wakefield, Wolfeboro, Waterville Valley, Middleton and Milton. The unofficial vote tally includes all towns except for Waterville Valley.

In Wolfeboro, Bradley earned 2,672 votes to Ballard's 1,453. Ballard outvoted Bradley in one town, Sandwich, where he received 495 votes, and in Hart's Location where he received 17 votes to Bradley's 14. Bradley defeated Ballard in his hometown of Brookfield by a vote of 279 to 134.