The 2020 elections will be different and unlike any other elections in history. The elections will have the social distancing protocols and the safety protocols will be in effect across most of the country. These protocols are likely to remain in place for weeks or even months because COVID-19 is spread in America. There’s uncertainty surrounding every key element of the election process because of the spread of COVID-19. The campaigning and voting process will be taking place under safety protocols, and the debates for the elections have already begun.
When was the first presidential debate for the 2020 elections held?
The first presidential debate between President Trump and former vice president Joe Biden has already been held on September 19. There are two more presidential debates that are set for Oct. 15 and 22. The vice-presidential debate will also be held soon. Vice President Pence and Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) will be holding a press conference Oct. 7.
What will be the format of debates for the 2020 elections?
Each debate for the 2020 elections will have a slightly different format. Due to the pandemic, the candidates will be appearing on the stage and will stand far apart from each other. They will also not shake hands with each other due to the spread of the virus. The audience present at the elections will be smaller in the past years. The first debate had a total of about 80 to 90 people in the audience. They were all masked and tested for the novel coronavirus which made the environment safe.
Read more: Did Obama Nominate A Supreme Court Justice In An Election Year
Schedule for the debates for 2020 elections
Vice-presidential debate: Wednesday, Oct. 7
- Location: The University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
- Time:9-10:30 p.m. Eastern
- Where to watch: The Washington Post will be having an uninterrupted live stream of the debate held at the University. The debate will also be airing on the most major news stations in America.
- Moderator: Susan Page, Washington bureau chief, USA Today
- Details: The debate is 90 minutes long and will have no commercial breaks. The debate will be divided into nine segments that will be of 10 minutes each.
Second presidential debate: Thursday, Oct. 15
- Location: Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. The initial location of the debate was different and has now been moved to this location because of the pandemic. The debate was scheduled to be held at the University of Michigan. The locations were changed because it wasn’t safe.
- Time: 9-10:30 p.m. Eastern
- Where to watch: The Washington Post will be having an uninterrupted live stream of the debate. The debate will be on most major news stations as well.
- Details: This debate will be based on the town hall format. This will help the people in the Miami area to pose questions.
- Moderator: Steve Scully, political editor of C-SPAN
Read more: The Election That Could Break America
Third and final presidential debate: Thursday, Oct. 22
- Location: Belmont University in Nashville. As of now, the university hasn’t denied that it will be held at this University.
- Time:9-10:30 p.m. Eastern
- Where to watch: The Washington Post will live stream the debate. The debate will also air on news channels.
- Moderator: Kristen Welker, NBC News White House correspondent and co-anchor of “Today Weekend”
- Details: The debate will be aired without any commercial breaks. It will be divided into 15-minute segments and will be cut into six parts.
