With the Republican and Democratic nominees getting ready to face off tonight on the debate stage, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will have to do so under some strict rules.
The debate, which will be hosted by ABC News at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center, takes place at 9 p.m. EST.
Unlike the debates seen in the presidential elections of old, this one will feature no live audience and no opening statements from the candidates. They will be given two minutes to deliver closing statements, ABC News shared.
The rules will also bar Harris and Trump from asking each other questions, allowing only the moderators for the event, ABC’s David Muir and Linsey Davis, to do so.
The debate will run for 90 minutes and feature two commercial breaks. The candidates will have two minutes to answer questions, two minutes for rebuttals, and an additional minute that will be used for follow-ups and clarifications.
While the Harris campaign had initially wanted microphones to remain on throughout the entire event, it has since agreed to let them be muted when the other candidate is speaking.
A coin flip determined the podium placement and order of closing statements. Trump won the flip and decided to offer the final closing statement, while Harris decided to be positioned on the right.
Both candidates will also be required to stand behind their lecterns for the “duration” of the debate, not allowing them to wander beyond where they are speaking.
Candidates will not be allowed prewritten notes or props on stage and won’t receive topics or questions in advance.
The debate will not only mark an important moment for American voters as they get ready to cast their ballots, but it will also be the first time Harris and Trump meet face to face.
As things sit, a recent poll run by the New York Times and Siena College has found that among likely voters, the candidates are essentially tied, as Trump is at 48% and Harris is at 47%, within the poll’s margin of error.