DNC Tiebreaking System for Debate Access

[brooklynite]

TIEBREAKING SYSTEM

If more than 20 candidates qualify for the June or July debates, then the media partner, in coordination with the DNC, will select only the top 20 qualifying candidates to participate in each debate (over two nights, as described above) under the following methodology:

a) Candidates who qualify for the debate under both the Polling and Grassroots Fundraising Method will be the first to qualify for the debate. If more than 20 candidates all qualify under both the Polling and Grassroots Fundraising Methods, such candidates with the highest polling averages will be included in the debate, as calculated pursuant to the formula described below.

b) If fewer than 20 candidates qualify for the debate by meeting both the Polling and Grassroots Fundraising Methods, but at least 20 candidates have qualified via the Polling Method, the remaining slots up to a maximum of 20 will be filled by the candidates with the highest polling averages who failed to qualify under the Grassroots Fundraising Method.

c) If fewer than 20 candidates qualify for the debate by meeting both the Polling and Grassroots Fundraising Method and fewer than 20 candidates have qualified for the debate under the Polling Method, then every candidate who has qualified using the Polling Method will be invited to participate in the debate and the remainder of the 20 slots will be filled by candidates who have qualified under the Grassroots Fundraising Method in descending order based on the highest number of unique donors.

CALCULATING POLLING AVERAGE

For the purposes of resolving tiebreaking scenarios, “highest polling average” is calculated by adding the top three polling results for each candidate (using the top-line number listed in the original public release from the approved sponsoring organization/institution, whether or not it is a rounded or weighted number), and dividing by three. The resulting number will be rounded to the nearest tenth of a percentage point.

In the event that the top twenty candidates cannot be identified using this approach because multiple candidates are tied for the final qualifying spot(s), candidates who are initially tied for the final qualifying spots will be ranked according to the total number of qualifying polls submitted by each candidate for purposes of determining who is in the top 20. The total number of qualifying polls for each candidate will be calculated by tallying the total number of polls in which each candidate received 1% or more support.

https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000016a-9e3d-d399-afef-9ebdc4370001