All Print Debates follow a standard set of the terms that are designed to create a level communications playing field for political candidates and competing ideas.

Components of a Print Debate
In each round of a Print Debate, each participating candidate is heard from on a parallel basis.

Round One

• Opening statement - highlighting why a candidacy deserves a vote.
• Statement of platform - Plans & Initiatives for the office.
• The candidates ask direct questions of each other, to be answered in Round Two.

Round Two

• Direct response to the opponent's Plans & Initiatives on the Issues.
• Answers to the direct questions posed by the candidates to each other.
• Citizen Questions - candidates answer questions directly from the electorate submitted through printdebate.com.

Round Three

• Defense of Plans & Initiatives by providing rebuttals to the opponent's responses.
• Comments on the opponent's answers to the direct questions.
• Responses to the opponent's answers to the citizen questions.

Round Four

• Final statement as a conclusion to the debate.
• Final responses to any opponent statement.
• List of top goals for the office.