DNC raises polling, fundraising requirements for November debates

Sept. 23 (UPI) -- The Democratic National Committee released the qualification requirements for the fifth round of presidential primary debates in November, raising the polling and fundraising thresholds while adding a new polling path for candidates.

Candidates will be required to receive 3 percent or more support in at least four DNC-approved national polls or single state polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, up from 2 percent in the September and October debates.

Additionally, candidates will be able to qualify by receiving 5 percent or more support in two early single-state polls.

Candidates cannot count polls released by the same sponsor in the same geographical area twice for the lower 3 percent threshold but may do so for the early state poll method.

For both methods polls must be released between Sept. 13 and a week before the debate.

The grassroots fundraising threshold was also raised from 130,000 unique donors in the earlier debates to 165,000 unique donors and a minimum of 600 unique donors per state in at least 20 states.

The exact date and location for November's debates have not yet been announced.

A total of 20 candidates participated in the first two debates, but the field shrunk to 10 for the most recent round in September after the DNC tightened the requirements.