Rules for first Democratic primary debates announced

The Democratic National Committee has issued the rules for the first set of Democratic debates, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, according to NBC News, which is hosting the forums.

In the Miami debates, candidates will be given 60 seconds to respond to questions and 30 seconds to respond to follow-ups. Candidates will have the opportunity to make closing statements but not opening statements, according to the news outlet.

{mosads}Each night will be separated into five segments with four commercial breaks, according to the DNC.

Wednesday night is set to feature Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.); Washington Gov. Jay Inslee; former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro; New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio; Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and Tim Ryan (D-Ohio); and former Reps. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) and John Delaney (D-Md.).

Thursday night is set to include former Vice President Joe Biden; Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.); Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.); former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper; South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; entrepreneur Andrew Yang; and author Marianne Williamson.

Four candidates did not meet the DNC’s debate criteria and will not appear onstage either night: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Miramar, Fla., Mayor Wayne Messam, and former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska). The final candidate, former Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), announced his campaign Sunday after the lineups were set.

The debates will air across NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo from 9 to 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday and Thursday.