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Ground Rules, Format, and Logistics


Please direct any questions or concerns about debate ground rules, format, logistics, or petitions for candidate inclusion to Nancy Karibjanian, Director of the Center for Political Communication.

Overview

  • Delaware Debates are structured to encourage substantive discussion of important issues. The producers intend to encourage discussion rather than deliver scripted answers.
  • Candidates and campaigns have a right to make sure the rules and format of a debate are fair and applied.
  • The producers expect all participants will strictly adhere to the established rules without exception.

Ground Rules

  • Surrogates will not be allowed to participate in the debate in place of a candidate.
  • No placards, posters, stickers, or other such campaign materials may be displayed by the candidates during the debate.
  • Water will be provided; therefore, no outside food or drink is permitted.
  • The candidate may not have access to any person during the debate other than the moderator, and, in the case of an emergency, a member of the production crew or staff.
  • Candidates may not use technology during the debate.The debate will include questions from a primary moderator and a student journalist.
  • The producers and moderator will determine which questions are asked, by whom, and when during the debate.
  • Time limits on statements, answers, rebuttals, and responses will be enforced by the moderator during the debate.
  • The studio crew will display time cards indicating 30 seconds remaining and when time expired.
  • The moderator may interrupt any candidate if the moderator believes the candidate is straying from the subject matter.
  • The candidates may not interrupt one another. It is the moderator’s responsibility and discretion – not the candidates’ – to enforce this rule.
  • No participant in the debate (neither candidates nor questioners) may be allowed to use props or visuals of any kind.
  • Candidates and the moderator will remain in their designated position for the duration of the debate.
  • Candidates may refer to limited notes.
    • Notes may be written on letter-sized sheets of paper or index cards that can fit into a letter-sized business folder or within an ordinary binder up to 2″ thick that holds 8-1/2″ x 11″ pages.
    • Candidates, moderators, and questioners may write notes for their use throughout the program.
    • A notepad and pen will be provided.
  • Camera shots of the candidates reacting to one another will be balanced in number and length, as determined solely by the producers.
    1. When reaction shots are on-camera, the candidate who is speaking will be included in the shot, as well as the reacting candidate.

Debate Format

  • The debate will last 60 to 90 minutes, from open to close, including all introductions and conclusions.
  • The debate will be divided into substantive subject areas.
  • The number of segments, the subject areas, the length, and the order will be determined exclusively by the moderator and the producers.
  • Candidates will be advised before the day of the debate of the general subject areas of the segments in their debate.
  • A coin toss before the debate will determine the order of responses and the order for a two- minute closing statement.
  • The candidate who wins the coin toss chooses whether or not to answer first.
  • The candidate who opens first (“first word”) closes first. The candidate who opens second, closes second (“last word”).
  • The moderator will open Delaware Debates with a welcome and introduction, followed by an explanation of the format.
  • Each debate will begin with the first question by the moderator. There will be no candidate opening statements.
  • The moderator will address questions to all the candidates, but not all candidates will be expected to answer every question.
  • Each candidate will have 1-minute and 30 seconds to respond to each question.The moderator will lead a brief discussion and follow up if needed.
  • The moderator and production staff will keep candidates informed of their elapsed time and will enforce the limits.
  • The moderator may prompt a follow-up discussion following the candidates’ initial responses.The debate may include a lightning round of short questions and short answers.
    1. During a lightning round, candidates’ responses will be limited to 60 seconds or less.
  • Closing statements are limited to 60 seconds and offer each candidate an opportunity to speak about themselves rather than make charges or attacks that have not been previously raised during the debate.
    1. If a candidate violates this rule and the attacked candidate has already completed his or her closing statement, the moderator may offer the attacked candidate the right to make a short rebuttal, if time permits, after the closing statement segment has been completed.

Logistics

  • Each candidate, or appointed representatives of each candidate, can have supervised access to the debate site by appointment with Nancy Karibjanian ([email protected]).
  • To comply with social distancing regulations, each candidate may bring only one guest to the debate.
  • One parking space will be provided for each candidate.
  • Make-up and hairstyling services will be provided.
  • Candidates will be assigned a semi-private space to prepare before the debate.
  • To comply with social distancing regulations and to allow time for the coin toss, make-up, hairstyling, and familiarization with the stage set, participating candidates will be provided with an arrival time.