Many voters learn about candidates for president from the presidential debates. These encounters are notorious for gaffes and drama – such as Gerald Ford’s statement, “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe” in 1976 — but they also give voters a glimpse into the candidates’ actual policy platforms. This can be especially useful for undecided voters who are seeking a candidate whose beliefs align with their own.
The first significant political debate took place in 1856, between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas for the Illinois senate seat. Since then, these events have become an essential part of U.S. politics, allowing candidates to articulate their views in front of a large audience so that voters can make informed decisions at the ballot box.
Today’s political debates are a mixture of old and new media: They are held on television and radio but are also broadcast on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) oversees all the presidential debates and advises sponsors of non-presidential debates (gubernatorial, congressional, mayoral, state legislative and city council) on production issues and voter education initiatives.
Candidates must meet the CPD’s objective criteria to qualify for a debate. These criteria define which candidates have a realistic chance of winning enough Electoral College votes to secure the presidency, based on national polling averages. A candidate must appear on at least 15 percent of the nation’s ballots to qualify for a debate, according to five national public opinion surveying organizations defined by the CPD.
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