Leading up to the 2026 midterm elections, NHPR is hosting a series of forums with the candidates running for governor, U.S. Congress and the U.S. Senate. Held in collaboration with the Granite State News Collaborative, these forums bring the conversation directly into local communities by using shared public spaces like cafes, libraries, and breweries.
All events are open to the public and moderated by local journalists from NHPR and our Granite State News Collaborative partners. If you’re unable to attend in person, you can catch a broadcast of each event on NHPR and NHPR.org the next day.
How to get involved
Whether or not you can join us, we want you to play a role in the conversations. You can help by letting us know what’s on your mind this election season: What questions do you have for the candidates in New Hampshire’s top races? What problems do you want them to tackle? What should they be talking about more?
Email us at voices@nhpr.org to help shape the focus of our forums, so that we can make sure they reflect the needs and concerns of people all across New Hampshire.
How to attend or listen
Note: Doors will open an hour prior to each event. Admission is free, but we ask you to please register in advance.
Forum schedule & venue details
Congressional District 1 forum - In partnership with the Laconia Daily Sun
- Venue: Twin Barns Brewing Co., Meredith, NH
- Event Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2026
- Schedule: Doors open at 5:00 p.m. | Forum at 6:00 p.m.
- Broadcast Date: Wednesday, October 7 at 9:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
- Register here
Congressional District 2 forum - In partnership with the Keene Sentinel and the Monadnock Ledger Transcript
- Venue: Brewbaker Cafe, Keene, NH
- Event Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
- Schedule: Doors open at 5:00 p.m. | Forum at 6:00 p.m.
- Broadcast Date: Friday, October 16 at 9:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
- Register here
Governor’s forum - In partnership with Manchester Ink Link
- Venue: Harpoon at Queen City Center, Manchester, NH
- Event Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026
- Schedule: Doors open at 5:00 p.m. | Forum at 6:00 p.m.
- Broadcast Date: Friday, October 23 at 9:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
- Register here
U. S. Senate Race forum - In partnership with the Valley News
- Venue: The Howe Library (Mayer Room), Hanover, NH
- Event Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
- Schedule: Doors open at 5:00 p.m. | Forum at 6:00 p.m.
- Broadcast Date: Friday, October 30 at 9:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
- Register here
How we invite candidates to participate
The NHPR newsroom’s goal for these debates is to present voters with a chance to draw clear contrasts among the candidates before they cast their ballots on Election Day.
Because debates must occur within a limited time, NHPR must adopt criteria for deciding which candidates to invite to participate. To that end, and consistent with long-standing practice, the NHPR newsroom will invite candidates for the major political parties to participate using the criteria defined in state election law and by the New Hampshire Secretary of State.
New Hampshire defines major parties for elections as those whose candidates have won at least 4% of the vote in the most recent statewide election (i.e. governor and U.S. Senate). Currently, the only political parties in New Hampshire to have reached that threshold are the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.
NHPR will extend invitations to these forums to all top Democrat and Republican candidates prior to the primary election in September, giving campaigns equal opportunity to respond and commit to participating.