With the election season approaching, voters must have an opportunity to hear each candidate’s viewpoints to make an informed decision on who to vote for. In a recent controversy, former President and current candidate Donald Trump claimed he had no intention of carrying out the debate with his adversary and current Vice President, Kamala Harris. However, when the time came, he changed his mind and they ended up debating in the first scheduled debate.
Typically, there are three arranged debates in each election year between primary candidates. Due to unique circumstances surrounding this election, the leading candidates might only have the opportunity to debate once. Biden and Trump participated in the first debate before Biden dropped out of the race and following that, Trump and Harris debated for the first time.
Currently, Trump has denied Harris’s request for the last scheduled debate claiming it is “too late,” although the last debate has always been held on or close to the same date. Harris has claimed that she will show up for the debate no matter what, and challenged Trump to do the same. In response, he said, “I beat Biden, I then beat her, and I’m not looking to do it again, too far down the line.”
I believe that participation in debates should not be optional, as they can significantly impact the election outcome. Presidential candidates should be required to debate, as it can be the deciding factor for many voters and make or break the election. According to a Pew Research Center survey, around 63 percent of voters believed that presidential debates were beneficial in helping them decide which candidate to vote for.
The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) is a non-profit organization responsible for coordinating the debates between the leading candidates for President and Vice President. They sponsor the debates to ensure that they are held every election year. It is an independent organization that does not endorse either candidate to maintain fairness.
According to the CPD, participation in the general election debates among the leading candidates is not mandatory. Presidential debates have become common only recently, and they were previously less accessible because live television wasn’t widely available.
With the widespread availability of live television now, there is no reason why Americans shouldn’t have the opportunity to watch presidential debates. In addition to keeping voters informed, debates enable them to analyze each candidate’s argumentative skills, quick thinking, and overall suitability for the presidency. They also create discourse and conversations about the election, which helps increase participation among voters.
Along with being required, I think that each debater should be fact-checked to prevent the rapid spread of misinformation that we have seen in past debates. With a significant number of viewers, a single lie during a debate can rapidly circulate in the media, increasing divisions between candidates and their supporters.
All voters should tune in to the presidential debates, as they can provide valuable insight into candidates’ policies and how they work under pressure. Engaging with the debates not only informs voters but also encourages discussions and builds a more informed voting public, which strengthens and upholds our democracy.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to choose who they believe would be best fit for the presidency, and candidates should not allow petty conflicts to interfere with our democracy.
