NH election 2022: Luz Bay announces candidacy for Dover District 21 state representative

My name is Luz Bay and I’m running for the New Hampshire House of Representatives for Strafford County District 21 (Dover Wards 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6). I moved to Dover in 1999 with my husband Mike only days after our wedding; we soon moved into our house on Long Hill Road where we still live today. Both of our children Lucas (21) and Lina (18) were born here in New Hampshire and raised right here in Dover. I am a pro-choice Catholic, an immigrant career woman, and a three-time cancer survivor. The fundamentals of my experiences and who I am define my values as a Democrat.

I was born and raised in the Philippines, the seventh of fourteen children. I came to this country as a student, eventually earning a PhD in Educational Measurement and Statistics. Over my 29-year career as a psychometrician I have worked for three educational assessment companies at different levels of corporate responsibilities; today I am responsible for a team that provides psychometric services to a college placement assessment program as well as a group of standardized tests that provide a mechanism for earning college credits without taking college courses.

I became an American citizen in 2002 after a scary experience of being in the Philippines for a family visit during 9/11 and realizing that my nine-month-old son and I had different passports. Full civic engagement has always been my goal when I became a citizen. As soon as I became naturalized, I applied for my US passport; on the day that I received my passport in the mail, I went to the Dover City Clerk’s office to register to vote. I’ve always considered voting both a right and a responsibility.

I began volunteering and being active in elections in 2008. I have hosted house parties, canvassed, phone banked, and attended events. In 2017, I joined the Dover Democratic Committee (DDC) and was elected as an at-large delegate to the Democratic State Convention. In 2020 and again in 2022, I was honored to be asked to be a member of the NHDP Platform Committee. The experience working with party leaders like Senator Cindy Rosenwald and Executive Councilor Cindy Warmington was invaluable. More importantly, being part of a committee that articulates our values as Democrats was a great honor. I felt that I was doing all I could - or so I thought.

I am a brown immigrant woman with a medical condition. I have watched the rise of white supremacy, the repeated attempts by the GOP to repeal and reduce access to health care, the unraveling of the Civil Rights Act, increased barriers to discourage voting, and the loss of rights of women across the country. My genes state that at some point I will likely have to fight cancer a fourth time: so every day, my instinct is to do something, and do it now. My hobby – running marathons (18 and counting!) – reminds me that pacing and thoughtfulness is how big goals are achieved. Every day I work to balance these two impulses; they enable me to be driven, focused, and patient.

In the primary on September 13, 2022, my daughter will be voting for the first time, and I’m so excited that my name will be on her ballot. I am proud to be there for her. When the Supreme Court of the United States is failing to protect our basic rights, state legislatures are where those rights will be protected. It will be an honor to serve my community by representing Dover in Concord. As your representative, I will fight for the right to quality public education, school safety, every woman’s right to choose, affordable healthcare, and voting rights for all eligible citizens. I am in it for the long haul, and every day, I’m ready for the fight.

Luz Bay is a long-time member of the American Educational Research Association, the National Council on Measurement in Education, and the Psychometric Society where she has held leadership positions. Find additional information about Luz Bay at her website WWW.LUZBAY.RUN. You can also follow her on Facebook (@LuzBay4NH), Twitter (@LuzBay4NH), Instagram (@LuzBay4NH), and TikTok (@LuzBay4NH).