The Democratic National Committee announced the qualification criteria for the fifth presidential primary debate in November, a modest increase unlikely to lead to a significant reduction in the number of participating candidates.
Like the September and October debates, candidates will need to clear both polling and donor thresholds.
Both thresholds have increased slightly over the requirements for the September and October debates.To qualify for the debate, candidates must receive 3 percent in four DNC-approved polls, a step up from the 2 percent needed to qualify for the third and fourth debates. There is also an additional early-state path: 5 percent in two approved polls conducted Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada or South Carolina. Candidates can meet either of the two polling thresholds in order to satisfy that requirement.
Polls must be released between Sept. 13 and seven days before the November debate — the timing or location of which has not yet been announced — to count toward qualification.
Additionally, candidates now need to receive donations from 165,000 unique donors — up from 130,000 from the September and October debates — with 600 unique donors in 20 different states, territories or the District of Columbia.
Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine