Political debate is an opportunity to explore the intricacies of government policies and ideologies. It is also a chance to practice public speaking skills, focusing on articulation and clarity. A political debate can take on different formats, such as a moderator format with candidates standing across from each other, a panelist format, and town hall meeting format with members of the audience asking questions.
Political debates are a vital tool for a candidate’s campaign and can spawn breakout moments that go down in history. However, they are no small undertaking and require meticulous preparation. The most important thing for a candidate is to avoid making any missteps that could damage their image or lead to an embarrassing defeat.
A lot of research has gone into analyzing whether or not televised debates affect voter choices. A paper published in 2010 reviewed more than six decades of election-related data from 10 countries to assess the effect of a debate on voters’ decisions. It found that debates had little to no effect on vote choice formation for most voters.
The first presidential debates were spawned out of a series of seven senatorial debates between Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in 1858. While these debates didn’t change the outcome of the election, they were instrumental in bringing the issue of slavery to light. In the years that followed, political debates became increasingly common. The League of Women Voters eventually moved to wrest control over debates from the political parties, leading them to become more structured and rehearsed.