In a democracy, political debate is the exchange of differing viewpoints on issues and policies. Historically, debates have played an important role in shaping public opinion and influencing policy decisions.
The most famous example of this is the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debate, which helped propel Kennedy to a victory over Nixon. Since then, political debates have become a staple of elections in the United States and many other countries with parliamentary systems.
Debates are often broadcast in a series and allow each candidate to present their positions on a set of questions. While the format varies, most include each leader making a brief opening statement followed by a series of prepared questions posed by a panel of journalists, and then time for a free-for-all discussion (often heated).
Candidates are typically allowed to respond to each question and can make Points of Information to their opponents, but they may not interrupt fellow debaters. In order to participate, a candidate must have a statistically feasible chance of winning a majority of the Electoral College votes in enough states to be President.
CPD’s Nonpartisan Candidate Selection Criteria are designed to ensure that debates are accessible to the widest possible audience while providing a high-quality, credible forum for informed citizen participation. The criteria focus on three types of evidence to determine if a candidate is likely to win the election, not on the size of one’s polling average or the partisanship of their campaign.
In addition to hosting presidential debates, CPD regularly advises sponsors of gubernatorial, congressional, and mayoral and legislative debates. The organization seeks to help these sponsors achieve their goals of delivering meaningful civic education through these events and continually reviews its formats and approaches.