Ohio will host the October Democratic presidential debate, the Ohio Democratic Party announced Saturday.

The debate is scheduled for Oct. 15 and, if necessary, Oct. 16. Officials aren't yet naming the city where the event will take place.

State party chairman David Pepper believes the Buckeye State's 18 Electoral College votes are up for grabs in 2020.

"As is happening across the nation, Democrats are energized, formerly Republican suburbs are trending blue and voters across the state are waking up to Donald Trump's many broken promises," he said in a news release.

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Ten candidates met donor and polling thresholds to qualify for the third primary debate, set for Sept. 12 in Houston. If more candidates qualify by Oct. 1, the Ohio debate could take place over two nights.

The candidates who have qualified for the September debate, automatically earning a spot for the one in Ohio, are: Former Vice President Joe Biden; Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey; Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana; former Housing Secretary Julian Castro; Sen. Kamala Harris of California; Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; former Rep. Beto O'Rourke of Texas; Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

rprice@dispatch.com

@RitaPrice