Town Hall Debates and Moderators

Janet Brown discusses how a town hall style of debate is organized. This style of debates is fairly recent with the first being in 1992 and the organization of this town hall debate is very interesting. First the Gallup organization finds undecided voters from the city where the debate is being held. These people come to the debate with a couple of questions which they want to ask the candidates. Brown said that since 2000, the moderator looks at the questions to make sure that the debate covers an array of issues. However, she reiterates that it was the invited citizens who came up with the questions. While responding to a caller she also states an interesting point which is that the moderators are the only people who know the questions ahead of time, the candidates do not know what questions will be asked. I thought this was interesting because it ensures that the candidates will be educated about an array of issues since they do not know which issue will be brought up during the debates. She then goes on to speak about how the moderators are chosen and says that the moderators have to meet criteria the Commission deems to be important.