Political debate is one of the most important forums for candidates to explain their views and respond to those of their opponents. It is a form of voter education, and the effectiveness of debate can contribute to shifts in polling support for candidates even before elections are held.
Since its founding in 1987, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) has worked to develop debate formats that focus maximum time and attention on the candidates and their views. For example, the CPD pioneered the town meeting format in 1992, in which citizens ask questions of the candidates — a format that has been used every cycle since.
The CPD also has carefully considered the timing of the debates. It is important to allow sufficient time for candidates to prepare, and to be able to respond to questions from the public. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid scheduling debates too early in an election cycle, which may interfere with voter turnout and reduce audience size.
In addition, the CPD has carefully studied the issue of the threshold for extending debate invitations. It is important to be inclusive enough to invite candidates with some level of support, but not so inclusive that invitations are extended to those with scant public support, which would jeopardize the debates’ educational purpose.
The CPD has also sought to ensure that the debates are fair and balanced by seeking out moderators with journalism experience, requiring that the questions for the debates be made public in advance, and not allowing candidates to choose their own moderators. Moreover, the CPD has carefully reviewed the dates of early voting, religious and federal holidays, and other milestone events and White House television pool contractual conflicts, when deciding on the debate schedule each cycle.