Presidential Debate and Voter Guide Criteria for 2024

The following is the criteria used for determining presidential candidate inclusion in LWV debates and voter guides, including VOTE411.org.

Debates

Primary Election

1. The candidate must have made a public announcement of their intention to run for their Party’s nomination for President.
2. The candidate must meet the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act’s minimum contribution threshold requirements for qualifying for matching funds, based on the most recent data publicly available on the FEC website.
3. The candidate must have a level of support of at least 2% of the national electorate as of one week before the debate as determined by any two selected national public opinion polling organizations, using those organizations’ most recent publicly reported results as of one week prior to the scheduled event. ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Gallup and NBC News will serve as the national public opinion polling organizations.  

General Election

1. The candidate must have made a public announcement of their intention to run for President.  
2. The candidate must meet the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act’s minimum contribution threshold requirements for qualifying for matching funds, based on the most recent data publicly available on the FEC website.  
3. The candidate must have a level of support of at least 10% of the national electorate as determined by any two selected national public opinion polling organizations, using those organizations’ most recent publicly reported results as of one week prior to the scheduled event. ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Gallup and NBC News will serve as the national public opinion polling organizations.  

Online Voter Guides

Primary Elections

1. The candidate must have made a public announcement of their intention to run for their Party’s nomination for President.
2. The candidate must meet the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act’s minimum contribution threshold requirements for qualifying for matching funds, based on the most recent data publicly available on the FEC website.

General Election

1. The candidate must have made a public announcement of their intention to run for President.
2. The candidate must meet the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act’s minimum contribution threshold requirements for qualifying for matching funds, based on the most recent data publicly available on the FEC website.
3. The candidate must qualify for the ballot in enough states to win a majority of electoral votes.

Print Voter Guides

Primary Elections

1. The candidate must have made a public announcement of their intention to run for their Party’s nomination for President.
2. The candidate must meet the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act’s minimum contribution threshold requirements for qualifying for matching funds, based on the most recent data publicly available on the FEC website six weeks before the election date.

General Election 

1. The candidate must have made a public announcement of their intention to run for President.
2. The candidate must meet the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act’s minimum contribution threshold requirements for qualifying for matching funds, based on the most recent data publicly available on the FEC website as September 1, 2024.
3. The candidate must qualify for the ballot in enough states to win a majority of electoral votes.