Jeff Woodburn

Jeff Woodburn
Minority Leader of the New Hampshire Senate
In office
December 1, 2014 – August 6, 2018
DeputyDonna Soucy
Preceded bySylvia Larsen
Succeeded byDonna Soucy (Acting)
Member of the New Hampshire Senate
from the 1st district
In office
December 5, 2012 – December 5, 2018
Preceded byJohn Gallus
Succeeded byDavid Starr
Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
from the 6th Coos district
In office
December 7, 1988 – December 5, 1990
Preceded byThomas Brady
Succeeded byLeighton Pratt
Personal details
BornJune 1965 (age 59)
Political partyDemocratic
EducationFranklin Pierce University (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Jeffrey R. Woodburn (born June 1965) from Dalton, New Hampshire is a former Democratic member of the New Hampshire Senate for the 1st district, elected in 2012. He was the minority leader of the Senate Democratic caucus.[1] Woodburn served on the Public and Municipal Affairs Committee and the Election Law and Internal Affairs Committee.[2]

Woodburn graduated in 1987 from Franklin Pierce College, and won a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives after graduation. He served one term (1989 to 1991). He previously ran for the State House in 1986, but lost to Harold Burns.[3] He served as Chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party (1997 to 1999), and as the executive director for U.S. Representative Richard Swett. Woodburn has also worked as a social studies teacher, freelance writer, real estate businessman, and town moderator.[4] He previously ran for the Executive Council of New Hampshire in 2000, losing to Peter J. Spaulding.[5] He ran for Coos County Commission in 2004, but lost to Thomas M. Brady.[6]

Woodburn was arrested on August 2, 2018, on simple assault, domestic violence, criminal mischief, and criminal trespass charges. Democratic Party Chairman Raymond Buckley called on him to resign.[7] On August 6, Woodburn announced he would resign as the minority leader but would remain as a senator.[8] He won the Democratic primary on September 11, 2018, but was defeated by Republican David Starr in the 2018 general election.

In May 2021, a jury convicted Woodburn of one count of domestic violence, one count of simple assault, and two counts of criminal mischief, but acquitted him of three counts of simple assault, one count of domestic violence, and one count of criminal trespass.[9][10] He received a sixty-day jail term.[11] However, in March 2023 the New Hampshire Supreme Court overturned Woodburn's convictions and ordered a new trial on the grounds that the trial judge had improperly refused to allow him to raise self-defence.[12] His second trial in 2024 ended in a mistrial.[13]

  1. ^ Rayno, Gary (November 7, 2014). "Democratic caucus chooses Woodburn as Senate minority leader". New Hampshire Union Leader. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  2. ^ "Senate District 01". www.gencourt.state.nh.us. Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  3. ^ "NH Elections Database » Candidate Profile". Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  4. ^ Tucker, Edith (May 9, 2012). "Former state Rep. Jeff Woodburn will run for state senate nomination". New Hampshire Lakes and Mountains. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  5. ^ "Our Campaigns - NH Executive Council - District 2 Race - Nov 07, 2000". Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  6. ^ "NH Elections Database » Candidate Profile". Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  7. ^ http://www.unionleader.com/State-senator-facing-nine-criminal-charges Archived August 2, 2018, at the Wayback Machine State Senator Facing Nine Criminal Charges
  8. ^ "State Senate Democrats choose Soucy to succeed Woodburn as minority leader". August 7, 2018. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  9. ^ Correspondent, John Koziol Union Leader. "Former state senator Jeff Woodburn found guilty of domestic violence". UnionLeader.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  10. ^ Sun, Barbara Tetreault-Berlin Daily (May 13, 2021). "Former N.H. State Senator Convicted Of Domestic Violence, Assault". www.nhpr.org. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  11. ^ Rogers, Josh (July 13, 2021). "Former State Senator Sentenced To 60 Days In Jail On Domestic Violence Charges". New Hampshire Public Radio. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Bookman, Todd (March 23, 2023). "NH Supreme Court overturns former state Sen. Woodburn's domestic violence conviction". New Hampshire Public Radio.
  13. ^ Fisher, Damien (March 14, 2024). "Woodburn's Domestic Abuse Trial Ends With Hung Jury". New Hampshire Journal.