In order to be included in the debates, a candidate must poll 15% nationwide in five approved polls. The problem with this is that candidates who are not Democrat or Republican are often not included in these polls, making it impossible to achieve the required percentage of support.

Candidates who have obtained ballot access in enough states to win the presidency must be included in the presidential debates. These candidates include Libertarian Party nominee, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, and Green Party nominee, physician Jill Stein.

The citizens of the United States of America have a vested interest in seeing that all candidates who are eligible to mathematically win the electoral college and have qualified for matching federal funds be given an equal opportunity to stand and deliver their ideas and positions to the nation at these debates.

Further, all vice presidential candidates meeting these requirements must be included in the vice presidential debates. These candidates include Libertarian Party nominee, former Federal Prosecutor and Judge Jim Gray, and Green Party nominee, Cheri Honkala.

The Commission on Presidential Debates is a nonprofit corporation controlled by the Democratic and Republican parties that has moderated each of the presidential debates held since 1988. Prior to this, the League of Women Voters moderated the 1976, 1980, 1984 debates before it withdrew from the position as debate moderator with this statement after the 1988 Presidential debates: "the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter." The Commission was then taken over by the Democratic and Republican parties forming today's version of the CPD.

This petition is but one of many first steps. Please take that first step, sign the petition, and pass it on to your friends and family. Signing does not indicate support for any candidate, only support for inclusion in the presidential debates.