As the vice presidential candidates Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz gear up for their upcoming debate, the official rules have been announced by the news channel. The debate is set to be a 90-minute event with no opening statements or studio audience present.
The network has stated that they reserve the right to mute the candidates' microphones, although unlike the presidential debates, the microphones will generally be active throughout the debate.
During the debate, Walz will be positioned on the right side of the screen for viewers, while Vance will be on the left. As the candidate from the incumbent party, Walz will be the first to be introduced on stage.
Each candidate will have two minutes to answer a question when directed, followed by a two-minute response from the other candidate. Additional one-minute rebuttals will be allowed, and at the moderator's discretion, an extra minute may be given to continue a topic.
Candidates are not allowed to interact with staff during breaks. They will be provided with a pen, a pad of paper, and a water bottle, but no props or prewritten notes are permitted. The debate will include two commercial breaks.
The debate is scheduled to commence at 9 p.m. ET in New York City and will be moderated by Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan.
