League of Women Voters of Maryland

It is the role of the LWVMD/MVEF prior to the primary and/or general elections to initiate and manage League-sponsored debates for candidates for Governor and/or U.S. Senator. Debates affecting those offices should not be sponsored by LLs without LWVMD Board approval. LLs may hold forums for the U.S. House of Representatives, the State Senate and House of Delegates and local county or city offices. (Please see Nonpartisanship section.)

MVEF may respond favorably to requests from other organizations to cosponsor additional gubernatorial and senatorial debates if they are nonpartisan and if candidates meet League standards for participation. Caution should be exercised when co-sponsorship with other organizations, especially single issue organizations, is proposed. Such co-sponsorship should not conflict with the League-managed debates called for in the previous paragraph. This same policy applies to requests for assistance, e.g., timekeeping, moderating or furnishing questions.

Implementation of the Policy when the League is the Sole Sponsor: A decision will be made early in the election year whether MVEF will sponsor debate(s). If so, the President will appoint a debate management committee. The committee should estimate early in the year how much the debate(s) will cost so that money can be budgeted and donations can be solicited to cover costs. The media should be informed early in the year that the MVEF plans to sponsor and manage a debate. Effort should be made to obtain wide coverage throughout the state.

Criteria for Debates and Participating Candidates

Debates aim to serve the following purposes:

1. Educate the public about issues;
2. Allow face-to-face comparisons of the candidates and their positions;
3. Stimulate and increase voter interest and participation in the election.

To be invited to participate in an MVEF debate a candidate must: meet the requirements of the Maryland Constitution and /or the Constitution of the United States; meet all requirements to be on the ballot according to Maryland’s election laws; demonstrate significant voter interest and support by being nominated by a major political party in Maryland, or by receiving 15% of public support in a recognized nonpartisan statewide public opinion poll; show that a formal campaign is being waged by the existence of headquarters and campaign staff.

These criteria have been developed to comply with the requirements of the Federal Elections Commission and the Federal Communications Commission.

It is the policy of the League of Women Voters of Maryland that candidate debates and forums should be inclusive of all candidates who have qualified to be on the ballot, including third party candidates, minor party candidates, independent candidates and write-in candidates. However, if the debate or candidates’ forum is co-sponsored by a television or radio station and the station is not able to provide coverage if all candidates are included, the League may resort to the kinds of candidate qualifications set by LWVUS (e.g., polling figures, establishment of campaign office, etc.