NOTE TO STUDENTS: The central focus of a debate should be to provide voters with information they need to measure the suitability of the candidates for office.

• Some people vote for a candidate based on the person’s age, sex, race or religion. Some vote for a candidate because he/she is an interesting or dynamic speaker, is attractive, or looks like a leader.
• Before you are eligible to vote, decide that you will vote for a candidate based on his/her positions on the issues, and who you think will enact policies that are best for the country, not just for you personally. (e.g. many college students say they will vote for the candidate who ensures they will not have huge student loan debt – would that be enough of a reason to elect a person president? Ask a parent.)

1. List the candidates who took part in this debate.

2. What requirements did the candidates need to meet to qualify for last night’s debate?

3. List the candidates who did not make it into this 4th Democratic debate.

4. a) When is the next Democratic primary debate?
b) How will the requirements needed to qualify for the next debate change?
c) Do you think having such requirements is too much, too little or just right? Explain your answer.

5. a) Name the candidates who have qualified for the next debate.
b) Do you think any candidate who does not qualify for the next debate has a chance to win the Democratic nomination? Explain your answer.

CHALLENGE: Take time to learn about where the candidates stand on the issues, what their positions are, and what their proposals are for carrying out their plans. Most of the Democratic candidates are current or former office holders so they have a track record of what they have done to advance their agendas. Consider the following: What do they say, what have they done, what do others say about them? For what reasons do voters support them? Discuss the issues with a parent as well.

OPTIONAL: Watch the debate and EITHER fill in the "Primary Debate" chart OR answer the following different questions below:
a) List three questions asked by the moderator(s).
b) Which question do you think was the most important? Explain your choice.
c) For which question(s) did one or more candidates not give a direct answer, or not clearly answer the question?
d) A debate moderator’s role is to act as a neutral participant in a debate, to hold participants to time limits and to try to keep them from straying off the topic of the questions being raised in the debate. Do you think the moderator(s) in this debate fulfilled this role? Explain your answer.
e) Were the moderator’s questions fair to every candidate? Explain your answer.
f) Do you think the questions chosen by the moderator(s) helped viewers understand the candidates’ positions on the issues? Explain your answer.
g) Did Biden, Warren and Sanders receive more time than some of the lesser known candidates? Why do you think this is so? Should they receive more time? Explain your answers.