Political debate is an important component of many political campaigns. The practice dates to the 19th century and is rooted in the senatorial campaign between Lincoln and Douglas. This type of debate is used to allow voters to hear directly from candidates and make their decisions.
The debate format is a structured conversation that allows both candidates to share their views and positions on specific issues. Debates are usually moderated by a professional journalist, and they are designed to focus attention and time on the candidates’ views rather than on personalities or other distractions.
In the United States, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) has overseen the presidential debates since 1987. The CPD seeks nonpartisan, voter education purposes when selecting the candidates and formats for its debates. In general elections, the CPD has invited only those candidates who are likely to participate in the debates and whose level of support is sufficient to qualify them as leading candidates.
Research on the effectiveness of political debate is mixed, but there are some clear positives. Voters who attend debates reported increased knowledge about candidates and policies, and they also voted more consciously at the ballot box. In addition, participants in political debates often report feeling more positive after the discussion. However, debates can be misconstrued or even manipulated by the media, and voters are often exposed to false information that has not been fact-checked. The CPD has worked to address these issues and improve the quality of the debates.