Debatable

Critical Analysis

1. In what year did the largest % of respondents say that the presidential debates were very helpful in deciding which candidate to vote for?

2. In what year did the largest percentage of voters say they did not watch the debates?

3. What is the big story this data tells about presidential debates?

4. Why do you think that is?

5. If debates are only one reason people vote how they do. What are some other reasons that people vote the way they vote?

6. What is one major consequence of this information>?

7. Is this good news or bad?

8. Based on the numbers from 2016 and the last couple of elections, what percentage of voters would you predict will find the debates helpful in deciding their vote?

9. Just 3% of likely voters said they didn't know who they'd vote for in a recent national Quinnipiac poll. The same percent of registered voters said they were undecided in a Monmouth poll this week.. An August poll by the Pew Research Center found that among those who preferred Biden or Trump, just 5% said there was a chance they'd change their minds. Is that enough voters to make a difference in this election?

10. Do you think that last night’s debate will make a difference in the 2020 presidential election?

11. If you saw the debate last night describe how much it persuaded your ideas about voting or candidate preference for this election?

12. If you were advising a president, based on these numbers, how would you describe the importance of presidential debates?

Learning Extension

Read these 5 facts about presidential debates from the good folks at the Pew Research Center.

Action Extension

Register to vote or convince someone who can vote to register to vote!

Visual Extension