Here’s how to watch the first and probably only debate between Walz and Vance VP

Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz will meet Tuesday for their first and possibly only vice presidential debate before the November general election.

The debate will air Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. CBS will produce the debate and use its moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan as moderators.

How can I follow the debate?

Scripps News will broadcast the CBS simulcast of the debate live and online. To find Scripps News on air or watch on the Scripps News website, click here.

Who will take part?

Walz and Vance were the only two candidates invited. Independent candidates such as Jill Stein’s vice president Butch Ware did not meet the criteria for an invitation.

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Debate rules

According to CBS, moderators “reserve the right” to mute candidates’ microphones during the debate if it is not their turn to speak. CBS also said there will be two four-minute commercial breaks during the 90-minute debate, but campaign staff will not be allowed to interact with the candidates during those breaks.

Contestants will be provided with a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water, but will not be allowed to bring any pre-written notes or props onto the stage, organizers said.

The candidates chose certain aspects of the debate based on a coin toss: Vance chose to make his closing statement last, and Walz chose to stand at the far left of the screen during the broadcast.

Each candidate has two minutes to answer questions, two minutes to present counterarguments and one minute to provide answers or follow-up if necessary.

The closing speeches last two minutes per candidate; there are no opening speeches.

What is different about the debates this year?

The 2024 election will be the first time that leading candidates will debate outside the auspices of the Commission on Presidential Debates. Before dropping out of the race, President Joe Biden’s campaign criticized the debate-organizing nonprofit for its format. Former President Donald Trump’s campaign also took up many of these complaints.

Instead, President Biden and Trump have reached formal agreements with CNN, ABC and CBS that will allow them to organize and simultaneously broadcast two presidential debates and one vice presidential debate. After Biden dropped out of the race, Vice President Kamala Harris decided to keep the ABC News debate on the schedule.

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But the debate between Vance and Harris’ running mate remained in limbo. It was later decided that Vance and Walz would continue to meet on CBS, this time on October 1 instead of August.

Another big departure from debates in previous years: No audience. In the past, presidential debates have had an audience, but that won’t be the case on Tuesday.

Status of the race

Recent national polls show Harris slightly ahead in the popular vote but leading an extremely tight race in seven battleground states. These polls essentially show a deadlock in the Electoral College count.

The election will be decided by which candidate performs best in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. These are the states where polls have not shown a consistent front-runner.

The economy is a top issue for voters

Ipsos polls show the economy and inflation are top of mind among voters. Issues such as crime and security, health care and protecting democracy rank behind economic concerns.