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 hosting the event. The debate is set to be a 90-minute affair 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 remain on. Walz will be positioned on the right side of the screen for viewers, with Vance on the left. As the candidate from the incumbent party, Walz will be the first to be introduced on stage.
During the debate, each candidate will have two minutes to answer a question posed to them, followed by a two-minute response from the other candidate. Additional one-minute rebuttals will be allowed, and the moderator may grant an extra minute to delve deeper into a particular topic.
Candidates are strictly prohibited from interacting with their 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 feature two commercial breaks to allow for brief pauses.
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.
