Colleges, cities vie for 2016 debates

Sixteen sites across the country are competing to host the presidential debates for the 2016 election, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced Wednesday.

The sites span 13 states, mostly at smaller colleges across the Southeast. Potential hosts include Texas A&M University, Washington University in St. Louis, West Virginia University and West Virginia State University. The cities of McAllen, Texas and Birmingham, Ala., are also vying to host the debates.

{mosads}The sites must meet a number of requirements, including a large enough venue to accommodate the enormous media presence at a debate, which requires at least 3,000 hotel rooms nearby. Sites must also be easily accessible for media members and candidates traveling from across the country.

The commission’s board of directors, which helps whittle the sites down to the final three debate locations, includes a number of notable politicians and public figures. Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R), former ABC News anchor Charles Gibson, former California Rep. Jane Harman (D), former Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), and University of Notre Dame President John Jenkins are among the 15 members of the board.

President Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney debated in 2012 at the University of Denver, Hofstra University in New York, and Lynn University in Florida. Centre College in Kentucky hosted the vice presidential debate between Vice President Biden and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)

Hofstra is the only site looking to host another debate in 2016.