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The 2017 City Election Debate Schedule Is Here


cfb debates presser via nyccfb

Debate announcement press conference (photo: @NYCCFB)


The New York City Campaign Finance Board announced the debate schedule and sponsors for the 2017 citywide elections on Thursday afternoon. Debates will take place, given more than one qualifying candidate, for the primaries and general elections for Comptroller, Public Advocate, and Mayor.

This year’s two “sponsor groups” are large and varied, with the first group including Spectrum News NY1, WNYC, POLITICO, Citizens Union, Civic Hall, Intelligence Squared, and Latino Leadership Institute. They will sponsor the first debates of both the primary and general election cycles.  

The second group, which consists of WCBS, WLNY 10/55, NewsRadio 880, 1010 WINS, the Daily News, Common Cause/NY, CUNY, New York Immigration Coalition, and Rock the Vote will sponsor the “leading contenders” debates, or second debate of each race and round.

Representatives from the Campaign Finance Board and sponsor organizations held a press conference Thursday at City Hall to announce the schedule and discuss the importance of the debates. The schedule is:

Primary Elections - First Debates
The first Republican mayoral primary debate will take place on Wednesday, August 16 at 7 p.m. in CUNY’s Graduate Center Studio and will be available on NY1, NY1 Noticias (Spanish), and WNYC radio.

The first Democratic mayoral primary debate will be held on Wednesday, August 23 at 7 p.m. at Symphony Space and will be available on NY1, NY1 Noticias (Spanish), and WNYC radio.

The first Democratic primary debate for Public Advocate will be held on Monday, August 21 at 7 p.m. at NY1 Studio and will be available on NY1, NY1 Noticias (Spanish), and WNYC radio.

The first Democratic primary debate for Comptroller will take place on Tuesday, August 22 at 7 p.m. in NY1 Studio and will be available on NY1, NY1 Noticias (Spanish), and WNYC radio.

Primary Elections - Second or “Leading Contenders” Debates
The second Republican mayoral primary debate will take place on Thursday, September 7 at 7 p.m. in CUNY’s Graduate Center Studio and will be available on WCBS, WLNY-TV 10/55 (Spanish), as well as on radio at 1010WINS and NewsRadio 880.

The second Democratic mayoral primary debate will be held on Wednesday, September 6 at 7 p.m. in CUNY’s Graduate Center Studio and will be available on WCBS, WLNY-TV 10/55 (Spanish), as well as on radio at 1010WINS, and NewsRadio 880

The second Democratic primary debate for Public Advocate will be on Saturday, August 26 at 9 a.m. in CBS Studio and will be available on WCBS, WLNY-TV 10/55 (Spanish), and on radio at 1010WINS, and NewsRadio 880.

The second Democratic primary debate for Comptroller will be held on Sunday, September 10 at 8 a.m. in CBS Studio and will be available on WCBS, WLNY-TV 10/55 and on radio at 1010WINS and NewsRadio 880.

General Election - First Debates
The first general election debate for Mayor will be held on Tuesday, October 10 at 7 p.m. in Symphony Space and will be available on NY1, NY1 Noticias (Spanish) and on WNYC radio.

The first general election debate for Public Advocate will be held on Monday, October 16 at 7 p.m. in The Greene Space and will be available on NY1, NY1 Noticias (Spanish) and on WNYC radio.

The first general election debate for Comptroller will take place on Tuesday, October 17 at 7 p.m. in The Greene Space and will be available on NY1, NY1 Noticias (Spanish), and on WNYC radio.

General Election - Second or “Leading Contenders” Debate
The second general election debate for Mayor will be held on Wednesday, November 1 at 7 p.m. in CUNY’s Graduate Center Studio and will be available on WCBS, WLNY-TV 10/55 (Spanish) and on radio at 1010 WINS and NewsRadio 880.

The second general election debate for Public Advocate will be held on Saturday, October 21 at 9 a.m. in CBS Studio and will be available on WCBS, WLNY-TV 10/55 (Spanish) and on radio at 1010WINS and NewsRadio 880.

The second general election debate for Comptroller will take place on Sunday, October 22 at 8 a.m. in CBS Studio and will be available on WCBS, WLNY-TV 10/55 and on radio at 1010WINS and NewsRadio 880.

In addition, all of the debates will also be livestreamed on the websites of each sponsor group and on the Campaign Finance Board’s website.

There are different criteria for the four debate rounds, so to speak: first debates of the primary, second debates of the primary; first debates of the general; second debates of the general. See the full explanation of criteria here.

“In this fall’s city wide elections, New Yorkers have the opportunity to vote for the kind of city they want to live in,” Amy Loprest, the executive director of the NYC Campaign Finance Board, stated in making the debates announcement. “Voters want information about where the candidates stand on the issues that matter most in their everyday lives, from jobs to schools to the cost of living. The CFB’s Debate Program is a critical part of our effort to get that information to voters and help them get ready to cast an informed ballot.”



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