Press Release

Clean Elections, Arizona’s nonpartisan election agency, is refreshing its candidate debates after Commissioners gave unanimous approval to the report of its Candidate Debates Work Group late last week.

“Candidate debates are a critical part of our Voter Education Program,” said Clean Elections Commission Chair Mark Kimble, an independent from Pima County, said. “The work group confirmed that debates matter: for bringing information to voters and for ensuring candidates engage with ideas, with each other, and with the public.”

Clean Elections sponsors Arizona’s official debates and the work group’s recommendations will help set the stage for 2024 and future election years. The work group met in public meetings five times throughout the spring.

"Our work group included leaders from the political parties, former and current elected officials and candidates, community advocates, and experts in elections and campaigns. Members represented a broad cross-section of our state, all of whom are committed to our democratic process,” said Voter Education Director Gina Roberts.

The group also heard expert testimony from Janet H. Brown, executive director of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Commission on Presidential Debates, which has hosted presidential debates for decades.

The comprehensive report makes recommendations on topic ranging from debate conduct to voter outreach. Key initiatives from the report include:

• Ensuring legislative debates are more effective by providing for Senate and House candidates to face off against their respective opponents. Currently all candidates in a district for both chambers of the Legislature debate among themselves.
• Building a moderator pool to enhance consistency and expertise in handling debates, as well maintaining civil discourse.
• Continuing to build capacity to make Clean Elections debates more accessible.
• Adding a lieutenant governor debate for 2026.

Read the full report on Clean Elections’ website, azcleanelections.gov. As the state’s nonpartisan debate sponsor and voter education leader, Clean Elections has spent more than two decades improving voter information accessibility and creating tools to support informed participation in elections.

About the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission (Clean Elections). The Citizens Clean Elections Commission was established by Arizona voters to restore citizen participation and confidence in Arizona’s political system, to improve the integrity of state government and to promote freedom of speech under the U.S. and Arizona Constitutions. Visit www.azcleanelections.gov to learn more.