Venue for second presidential debate switched to Florida

The non-partisan commission that sponsors the formal election year presidential debates has announced that an October debate that had been set for Michigan will now take place in Florida.

The change comes after the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, determined it was no longer “feasible” to host the October 15 debate, the Commission on Presidential Debates said.

The debate will instead be held at the Adrienne Arsht Centre for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Miami.

In a letter shared with the Commission on Presidential Debates, University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel suggested the decision was influenced by the work needed to prepare the campus for the autumn semester during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Given the scale and complexity of the work we are undertaking to help assure a safe and healthy fall (autumn) for our students, faculty and staff and limited visitors, and in consideration of the public health guidelines in our state as well as advice from our own experts, we feel it is not feasible for us to safely host the presidential debate as planned,” Mr Schlissel wrote.

Two other presidential debates and one vice presidential debate will proceed as originally planned.

The presidential debates are scheduled for September 29 at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, October 15 at the Adrienne Arsht Centre in Miami and October 22 at Belmont University in Tennessee.

The vice presidential debate is set for October 7 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.