603 Forward Continues Building Pipeline of Young, Diverse Local Leaders Ahead of City Elections
A new generation of changemakers are stepping up to lead
NEW HAMPSHIRE — Municipal candidate filing has officially closed in New Hampshire’s 12 cities, and this year’s numbers demonstrate what 603 Forward has been working toward for years: a growing, diverse pipeline of young leaders stepping up to serve their communities.
603 Forward’s recruitment and training efforts helped identify and prepare a record number of first-timers and candidates under-50 to run for local office. Our comprehensive Leadership Development program included potential candidate training, mentorship, and peer support to set emerging leaders up for success on the campaign trail and in office.
By the Numbers:
Total values-aligned candidates filed statewide: 359
Candidates under 50: 152
First-time candidates: 54
Cities represented: 12
School Board candidates: 55
City Council candidates: 92
Election Official candidates: 58
“This municipal election season shows exactly why we do this work,” said Beck Kelly, Leadership Development Director at 603 Forward. “When you make leadership accessible and build real support systems, young and emerging voices step up to lead. Young, working age candidates bring bold, solutions-oriented leadership with deep connections to their communities and lived experiences that represent today’s generation of working Granite Staters. They represent the future of local leadership in New Hampshire. ”
Highlighted Candidates:
Bryce Kaw Uh — Bryce is a strong example of the candidate pipeline at work: he was appointed to the Manchester Planning Board, where he currently serves as Chair, and is now running for Alderman in Ward 1 on a strong pro-housing platform. He is passionate about his community and believes in a flourishing Manchester.
Aislinn Kalob — Aislinn is a young leader with a background in nonprofits, education, and working as a restaurant server. She has been using social media to share her experience running for City Council in Concord Ward 6 and sharing her “Life as a Candidate”, documenting the realities in balancing running a campaign and working in the service industry.
Micaela Demeter — Micaela is a working mother who has been advocating on all levels for protecting every student’s access to a free and excellent public education. Involved in education locally and at the state level, Micaela continues to use her knowledge about the state’s education system to make a positive impact on her school community in Dover as a returning candidate for Dover School Board Ward 4.
Mark Davie — Mark is a young transplant to the Granite State, and after falling in love with the city, he’s thrown his hat in the ring for Concord City Council in Ward 4. He is passionate about city planning with a background as a regional planner, and currently serves on the Zoning Board of Adjustments. Mark is an energizing advocate for fair housing, walkable neighborhoods, and a vibrant local economy. He hopes to bring his expertise to Concord’s upcoming Master Plan update.
603 Forward is proud to continue strengthening New Hampshire’s pipeline of local leaders. Through targeted outreach, leadership development, and community engagement, we are helping to ensure that towns and cities have a growing bench of young, diverse, and solutions-oriented leaders ready to step into public service.
To learn more about the local candidates running for office this year, visit 603forward.org/run-for-office
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603 Forward envisions a thriving New Hampshire where people are free to live, work and raise a family. In our New Hampshire: democracy is protected above all else; young people have a voice in government at all levels; and policy changes to help build an inclusive, affordable and resilient state.
