Swearing-in ceremony for District 1 commissioner may be on hold if judge OKs stay

From left, Strafford 2 rep Glenn Bailey, Leslie Feliciano, and Strafford 19 rep Kelley Potenza (Courtesy photos)

Leslie Feliciano, the winner of the Oct. 14 vote to be the next District 1 commissioner for Strafford Couty, is to be sworn in this morning, but that may not happen if a Superior Court judge agrees to a temporary stay filed by Strafford District 2 rep Glenn Bailey on Wednesday.
Bailey filed the temporary restraining order after learning that many members of the Strafford Delegation, composed of state reps from throughout the county, questioned both Feliciano's domicile and party affiliation.
The state's Department of Justice Elections Division is now in the throes of an investigation after District 1 rep Kelley Potenza sent in a complaint filed by a Rochester resident who said that Potenza was known to them to be a longtime Democrat and that she did not live in District 1.
That resident has asked to remain anonymous.
Potenza filed the Rochester resident's complaint to the election unit arm of the NHDOJ on behalf of the Rochester constituent on Oct. 4, 10 days prior to the vote on Oct. 14.
In addition The Rochester Voice has learned that there have been several Strafford County state representatives who have received citizen inquiries about the domicile issue for the District 1 commissioner opening.
Potenza said she has complete confidence in the New Hampshire Dept. of Justice to complete the probe swiftly and professionally.
"I trust the team in the NHDOJ to thoroughly investigate all of the issues that have been disclosed in this case," she told The Rochester Voice on Wednesday. "I hope that Ms. Feliciano will hold off on being sworn in until after the investigation is completed."
The vote to select a new commissioner came after former District 1 commissioner Joe Pitre retired earlier this year after winning the seat last November.
Feliciano told The Rochester Voice she was a Republican during an interview earlier this month.
The chair of the Strafford County Commissioners is George Maglaras of Dover, a Democrat. The other commissioners is Sean Leavitt, a Republican.
Here is a breakdown of the districts
• District 1, the towns of Farmington, Middleton, Milton, New Durham,
wards 1, 5, and 6, of the city of Rochester, and wards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the
city of Somersworth;
• District 2, wards 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the city of Dover, and the towns of
Durham, Lee, and Rollinsford; and
• District 3, Barrington, wards 5 and 6 of the city of Dover, Madbury, wards
2, 3, and 4 of the city of Rochester, and the town of Strafford.