The inaugural presidential debate featuring former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will occur this Tuesday evening in Philadelphia.

According to ABC News, the debate is scheduled to take place at the National Constitutional Center on September 10 at 9 p.m. ET.

Trump shared on Truth Social last month that he agreed to the debate under the same terms as the June CNN debate against Biden.

In the past debate format, each candidate’s microphone would only be active during their speaking turn. There was no audience present, and candidates were not allowed to communicate with their staff during breaks or use notes. Each candidate received just a pen, a pad, and a water bottle.

Here’s what you should know about this evening’s debate, including the complete rules, details on the moderators, and viewing options.

What are tonight’s debate rules?

Both Harris and Trump have agreed to the following rules as set by ABC News:

• The debate will last for 90 minutes and include two commercial breaks.
• Only the two seated moderators will pose questions.
• A coin flip was conducted virtually on September 3 to decide podium positions and the order of closing statements; Trump won this toss and chose the order. Consequently, he will give the final closing statement, while Vice President Harris selected the podium on the right side of the screen (stage left).
• Moderators will introduce the candidates.
• Candidates will enter from opposite sides of the stage, with the incumbent party introduced first.
• No opening statements will be made; closing statements will be limited to two minutes each.
• Candidates will remain behind podiums throughout the debate.
• No props or pre-written notes are allowed on stage.
• No topics or questions will be disclosed to campaigns or candidates beforehand.
• Candidates will receive a pen, a pad of paper, and a water bottle.
• Each candidate will have two-minute responses to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one additional minute for follow-ups or clarifications.
• Microphones will only be active for the candidate who is currently speaking, while all others will be muted.
• Candidates cannot inquire about each other’s responses.
• Campaign staff are prohibited from interacting with candidates during commercial breaks.
• Moderators will aim to enforce time rules and maintain respectful discussions.
• No audience will be present in the venue.

What are the qualifications for candidates in tonight’s debate?

The following are the candidate qualifications for the September 10 debate as indicated by ABC News:

• Must fulfill the criteria specified in Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution to hold presidential office.
• Must have registered a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission.
• Must be listed on enough state ballots, according to certification by the Secretary of State or another relevant election authority, to gather a majority (270) of electoral votes by September 3, 2024.
• Candidates must agree to the debate’s rules and format established by ABC News.
• All participants must achieve a minimum of 15% support in four different national polls of registered or likely voters that adhere to ABC News standards
  • Polls should be conducted with probability sampling from one or more of these entities: ABC News, CNN, Fox News, NBC News, The New York Times/Siena College, Quinnipiac University, The Wall Street Journal, or The Washington Post.
  • Each of the four qualifying polls needs to be conducted by a different organization.
  • Polls must be conducted and made public from August 1, 2024, to September 3, 2024. Only those polls released publicly and conducted entirely within this timeframe will qualify.

Where to watch tonight’s debate

This debate will be broadcasted on ABC and available for streaming on ABC News Live, Disney+, and Hulu, according to the network. It will start at 9 p.m. ET.

Fox News and CBS News stated last week that they will simulcast the debate, and CNN announced on Monday that it will also do so.

Who are the moderators for tonight’s debate?

David Muir, anchor and managing editor of “World News Tonight,” alongside Linsey Davis, anchor of ABC News Live “Prime,” will be moderating the debate, as reported by ABC.

The pre-debate special titled “Race for the White House” will be anchored by Martha Raddatz, Jonathan Karl, Mary Bruce, and Rachel Scott, starting at 8 p.m. ET, according to the network.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at YSL News. Follow him on X @GabeHauari