Political debate is a structured exchange of ideas involving opposing viewpoints and solutions. The format of a political debate can shape how well candidates communicate their messages and may influence audience perception, which in turn can sway electoral outcomes. Therefore, understanding how different formats impact political debate is a crucial step in advancing democratic discourse and evaluating the impact of these events on American politics.
To be eligible for a presidential debate, a candidate must meet certain criteria established by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). In addition to having a statistically feasible chance of winning enough Electoral College votes to win, candidates must participate in five national public opinion surveys from nationally recognized polling organizations defined by CPD.
CPD hosts debates on a variety of venues, including college and university campuses. The process for selecting the sites is a competitive one, with potential host institutions submitting proposals to CPD in response to formal site selection guidelines posted about two years in advance of each debate.
The debates are moderated by a single person, often a TV journalist, who poses questions to the candidates, directs them when it is their turn to rebut and manages responses time. A variety of other formats have also been used, such as a panelist format where several people ask questions or a town hall meeting format in which the candidates sit together and members of the audience ask questions.
In a presidential election, voters have typically become quite familiar with the competing candidates, either through their track records as incumbents or through several months of campaign events and debates. For this reason, most debates are not intended to change voters’ views, but rather to sharpen them in a focused debate environment.