Political debate provides voters a chance to hear candidates articulate their positions, and respond to their opponents’ viewpoints. As such, these events can significantly impact voter behavior and the overall electoral process.
In order to participate in CPD’s debates, a candidate must meet certain objective criteria. Specifically, the candidate must have a “statistically feasible” chance of winning a majority of electoral votes (i.e., the number of Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency). In addition, the debate must be sponsored by an organization that is independent from any party and must be conducted in accordance with a nonpartisan set of standards agreed upon by a committee consisting of individuals not affiliated with either of the major parties.
Since the 1988 presidential election, these independent criteria have been vetted by both the federal government and the courts, and have been found to be consistent with federal law. Additionally, the nonpartisan CPD’s use of these criteria, along with its 15 percent threshold for eligibility, has been found to comply with FEC rules regarding partisanship and fairness of political debate.
While there’s certainly room to improve how the debates are managed, these events remain an important tool for educating the public about the various policy options available to them. And the format of the debate can have a significant influence on how well the candidates communicate their positions and ideas to voters, with some styles of questioning highlighting a candidate’s ability to think quickly while others provide a more personal connection with voters.