Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Dates and Locations for 2024
WASHINGTON — The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates on Monday announced the dates and sites for next year’s presidential and vice presidential debates, selecting four colleges and universities to host the events before the general election.
The full schedule includes:
- The first presidential debate on Sept. 16 at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
- The vice presidential debate on Sept. 25 at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.
- The second presidential debate on Oct. 1 at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia.
- The third and likely final presidential debate on Oct. 9 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
The commission said it will announce additional details about the debates, including format and moderators, early next year. All debates will start at 9:00 p.m. EDT and will run for 90 minutes without commercial interruption.
“The United States’ general election debates, watched live worldwide, are a model for many other countries: the opportunity to hear and see leading candidates address serious issues in a fair and neutral setting,” commission co-chairs Frank Fahrenkopf and Antonia Hernández said in a statement.
“This tradition has remained unbroken since 1976. In 2024, students at our four debate sites will help bring another set of historic conversations to audiences here and abroad. And their campuses will anchor four unique chances to listen and learn,” they added.
Virginia State University will be the first historically Black college or university to host a general election debate.
It previously hosted the 2021 Democratic primary gubernatorial debate in Virginia.
“This is a historic moment for our university and for HBCUs nationwide,” said VSU President Dr. Makola M. Abdullah in a written statement. “Our university mantra is ‘Greater Happens Here,’ and we look forward to welcoming the candidates, the Commission on Presidential Debates, and the entire nation to the GREATER at VSU.”
Abdullah said the university’s selection reflects its commitment to shaping future leaders and cultivating political discourse.
“While VSU recognizes that a tremendous amount of preparation goes into hosting a national debate, it is extremely honored and excited to be a part of meaningful conversations on important issues that impact the nation,” he said.
In a letter to students, faculty and staff, Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse said he and the school’s entire administration is “thrilled” to be the first location in Texas ever chosen to host a presidential debate.
“It is a fitting tribute to our legacy as the only university in Texas to graduate a U.S. president, Lyndon Baines Johnson,” Damphousse said. “It also comes as we celebrate our 125th anniversary as an institution of higher learning, preparing generations of Bobcats to be engaged global citizens.
“This is a chance for Texas State and San Marcos to shine on the international stage like never before, with hundreds of media outlets descending on our campus before and during the event,” he continued. “Today, I will be charging a Texas State Debate Planning Task Force to guide and direct the execution of this monumental occasion.”
In celebrating her school’s participation, Lafayette College President Nicole Hurd noted that over the years the campus has played host to eight sitting, former or future presidents and vice presidents.
“Our namesake, the Marquis de Lafayette, is renowned for his historic leadership of democratic values. With our civic-minded campus and traditions, Lafayette will proudly represent Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley, which always play a pivotal role in national politics,” she said.
Of the four chosen venues, the one with the most recent experience as a high-profile debate venue is the University of Utah, where then-Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris squared off in 2000.
“To have the opportunity to host a U.S. presidential debate is a privilege, and we are thrilled to welcome the world back to the University of Utah,” said Taylor Randall, president of the University of Utah.
“Being chosen as a debate site by the Commission on Presidential Debates is a testament to the tremendous capacity of our university and we cannot wait for our students, campus and city to play a role in this historic civic event,” he said.
Both major parties will formally select their nominees for president and vice president at conventions next summer. The Republican National Convention is set to take place in July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Democratic National Convention is scheduled for August in Chicago, Illinois.
A third-party candidate would be eligible to participate in the debates if he or she is on the ballot in enough states to conceivably win a majority in the Electoral College, and has an average of at least 15% support in five major national polls.
In the near term, all of the participating venues will be learning more about their roles and the requirements they must meet as debate hosts in coming weeks.
Damphousse told the Texas State community that a university-wide forum would be scheduled for early next year, to bring it up to speed on what the university has learned between now and then, its plans moving forward and how the community can work together to make the event a success for both students and the community.
Meanwhile, the University of Utah’s Randall has assured his constituents that no student funding will be diverted to support the event, and that the university plans to depend on public and private donations to fulfill its obligations as debate host.
In 2019, ahead of the 2020 debate, Utah’s Legislature supported the debate by allocating $2.5 million to support the state’s application.
Though no state funds have yet been allocated for the 2024 debate, university officials said the school may seek that support during the upcoming 2024 legislative session.
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