CONCORD--State Rep. Terie Norelli (D-Portsmouth) has been officially elected for a second term as House speaker and told House members that they would need to work across party lines to deal with the state budget.

Norelli defeated state Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) and state Rep. Robert Rowe (R-Amherst). Norelli received 230 votes, Packard received 104 votes and Rowe got 53 votes. State Rep. Chris Roberts received 3 votes and one ballot was left blank.

"I extend a hand of friendship to the other side," Norelli said in a speech after being elected. Norelli also said that she hopes to work with Republicans to on issues facing the state and added, "I only ask when we disagree we do so respectfully."

State Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) nominated state Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) for speaker. Packard defeated Chandler last week to become House Republican leader. Meanwhile, state Rep. Lucy Weber (D-Walpole) nominated Norelli for the speakership post.

Rowe said that before the vote he was running because he wanted the House to become less political and said that the speaker should not be allowed to appoint both the majority and minority leaders of the parties.

"This elderly back bencher would never have run for speaker if we, the Republicans, weren't in the minority last year," Rowe said.

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House re-elects Norelli