DNC raising criteria for participation in third presidential debate, announces host networks

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced on Wednesday that it is increasing polling and fundraising criteria for candidates to qualify for its third presidential debate.

To participate in the third debate, candidates must receive 2 percent or more support in at least four polls, the DNC said. The threshold for earlier debates is 1 percent in three polls.

{mosads}Candidates will also have to certify that their campaigns have received donations from a minimum of 130,000 individual donors and 400 unique donors per state in at least 20 U.S. states to qualify for the third debate. Currently, a candidate could receive contributions from 65,000 donors and appear on the debate state.

The criteria announced on Wednesday will remain in place for a fourth debate in October, according to the DNC.

The DNC also said that ABC will partner with Univision to host the third debate on Sept. 12.

A second night could be added on Sept. 13 if enough candidates qualify, it added.

The debate will air on ABC, on Univision with Spanish translation and on the ABC News Live streaming channel, according to the DNC, which added that it will also be available on ABCNews.com and apps Hulu Live, The Roku Channel and Facebook Watch.

The debate’s location, format and moderators were not announced.

Politico first reported the developments. An analysis by the news outlet found that former Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-Ind.). and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) have polled at more than 2 percent in four early polls.

Politico noted that Sanders, Buttigieg, Harris and Warren have announced that they have reached more than 130,000 donors.

An analysis by The Hill last week found that 13 candidates had met both polling and fundraising thresholds for the first Democratic presidential debates next month.

Rachel Frazin contributed to this report, which was updated at 8:13 a.m.