OVERHAUL

DNC Doubles Polling Threshold, Eliminates Donor Requirement for Debate

The changes could reportedly open the debate stage door for contenders like former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The Democratic National Committee revised its qualifications for Democratic presidential contenders to participate in debates after the New Hampshire primary, completely eliminating the individual donor requirement and doubling the polling threshold. According to Politico, candidates will now have to get 10 percent in four polls released between Jan. 15 and Feb. 18 or 12 percent in two Nevada or South Carolina polls in order to participate in the Feb. 19 Las Vegas debate. Any candidate who gets at least one delegate to the national convention in the Iowa caucuses or New Hampshire primary will also qualify.

“Now that the grassroots support is actually captured in real voting, the criteria will no longer require a donor threshold,” DNC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said, adding that the donor threshold was “appropriate for the opening stages of the race.” Candidates like former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) have already met the requirements, and the changes could reportedly open the debate stage door for contenders like former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.