# Free & Equal Elections Foundation

The Free & Equal Elections Foundation (Free & Equal) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan organization in the United States, the mission of which is to empower American voters through education and advocacy of electoral reforms.
Free & Equal leads national, state, and local efforts to open the electoral process in the United States by hosting all-inclusive gubernatorial, Presidential, and senatorial debates; organizing Electoral Reform Symposiums; producing United We Stand tours; and supporting individuals running for office. Free & Equal was first organized in 1982 as the Foundation for Free Campaigns and Elections, before being formally reorganized in 2008 by Christina Tobin, an American activist and leader in the election reform and voters' rights movement.

## Presidential debates
### 2008

During the 2008 presidential election, Free & Equal hosted a presidential debate at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C., on October 23, 2008. Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin and independent candidate Ralph Nader participated in a debate moderated by journalist Chris Hedges. The Free & Equal debate was the only presidential debate featuring independent and third-party candidates held during the 2008 election to be broadcast to a national audience. The debate was broadcast live on C-SPAN2 in prime time.
Free & Equal debates, 2008 :
| N° | Date | Host | Location | Moderators | Participants | Participants | Participants | Participants | Participants | Participants |
| P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | Democratic | Republican | Libertarian | Green | Constitution | Independent |
| P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | P Participant   N Non-invitee   A Absent invitee | Senator Barack Obama of Illinois | Senator John McCain of Arizona | Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia | Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney of Georgia | Pastor Chuck Baldwin of Florida | Advocate Ralph Nader of Connecticut |
| 1 | October 23, 2008 | Mayflower Hotel | Washington, D.C. | Chris Hedges | A | A | A | A | P | P |

### 2012

In 2012, Free & Equal sponsored the October 23, 2012 debate among four third party candidates for President of the United States. It featured Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party), Jill Stein (Green Party), Virgil Goode (Constitution Party), and Rocky Anderson (Justice Party). The debate was moderated by former Larry King Live host Larry King and Christina Tobin. It was televised by RT TV, Al Jazeera English, and C-SPAN.
Free & Equal debates, 2012 :
| N° | Date | Host | Location | Moderator | Participants | Participants | Participants | Participants | Participants | Participants |
| P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | Democratic | Republican | Libertarian | Green | Constitution | Justice |
| P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   N Non-invitee.   A Absent invitee. | President Barack Obama of Illinois | Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts | Governor Gary Johnson of New Mexico | Doctor Jill Stein of Massachusetts | Congressman Virgil Goode of Virginia | Mayor Rocky Anderson of Utah |
| 1 | October 23, 2012 | Hilton Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | Larry King of Ora.TV | A | A | P | P | P | P |
| 2 | November 5, 2012 | RT America | Washington, D.C. | Thom Hartmann of RT | N | N | P | P | N | N |

### 2016

Free & Equal hosted an open debate along with Student Voices Count at the University of Colorado Boulder's Macky Auditorium on October 25, 2016. Originally, all presidential candidates with ballot access sufficient to represent a majority of electoral votes were invited. in October 2016, Free and Equal extended the invitation to all candidates with ballot lines representing at least fifteen percent of potential voters: the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Green, Constitution, Reform, and Socialism and Liberation parties, as well as independent candidate Evan McMullin. Gary Johnson, who participated in the 2012 debate, had already publicly declined in July 2016 to debate Jill Stein on The Young Turks because of a matter of "just time".
Free & Equal debates, 2016 :
| N° | Date | Host | Location | Moderators | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants |
| P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | Republican | Democratic | Libertarian | Green | Constitution | Reform | PSL | Independent |
| P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | P Participant.   A Absent invitee. | Businessman Donald Trump of New York | Secretary Hillary Clinton of New York | Governor Gary Johnson of New Mexico | Doctor Jill Stein of Massachusetts | Lieutenant Darrell Castle of Tennessee | Businessman Rocky De La Fuente of California | Activist Gloria La Riva of California | Director Evan McMullin of Utah |
| 1 | October 25, 2016 | University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, Colorado | Ed Asner | A | A | A | A | P | P | P | A |

### 2020
#### Primaries

Early on March 4, 2020, the Free & Equal Elections Foundation held a debate at the Hilton Chicago Hotel. Various third-party candidates, as well as minor candidates affiliated with the Democratic and Republican parties attended. Some, but not all, of the participants would go on to be their parties nominees.
2020 Free & Equal debates :
| No. | Date & Time | Location | Moderators | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants |
| P Participant. | P Participant. | P Participant. | P Participant. | Democratic | Libertarian | Libertarian | Libertarian | Green | Constitution | American Solidarity | Life and Liberty | Transhumanist |
| P Participant. | P Participant. | P Participant. | P Participant. | Businessman Mark Stewart of Connecticut | Activist Dan Berhman of Texas | Carpenter Erik Gerhardt of Pennsylvania | LNC Vice Chair Arvin Vohra of Maryland | Activist Sedinam Moyowasifza-Curry of California | Financial Advisor Charles Kraut of Virginia | Educator Brian Carroll of California | Activist J.R. Myers of Alaska | Activist Ben Zion of Arizona |
| 1a | March 4, 2020 2:00 pm CST | Chicago, Illinois | Christina Tobin | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| P Participant. | P Participant. | P Participant. | P Participant. | Republican | Democratic | Libertarian | Libertarian | Libertarian | Libertarian | Green / Socialist | PSL | Independent |
| P Participant. | P Participant. | P Participant. | P Participant. | Futurist Zoltan Istvan of California | Attorney Mosie Boyd of Arkansas | Lieutenant Ken Armstrong of Hawaii | Lecturer Jo Jorgensen of South Carolina | Corporal Adam Kokesh of Indiana | Activist Vermin Supreme of Massachusetts | Tradesman Howie Hawkins of New York | Activist Gloria La Riva of California | Activist Mark Charles of the District of Columbia |
| 1b | March 4, 2020 6:30 pm CST | Chicago, Illinois | Christina Tobin | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |

#### General election

Two debates were held prior to the general election. The first was on October 8, 2020, in Denver, Colorado, with participation limited to candidates on the ballot in at least eight states. A second debate with the same candidates occurred on October 24, 2020, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
2020 Free & Equal debates :
| No. | Date & Time | Location | Moderators | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants |
| P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | Republican | Democratic | Libertarian | Green / Socialist | PSL | Alliance / Reform | Constitution | American Solidarity | Independent | Independent |
| P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | President Donald Trump of Florida | Former Vice President Joe Biden of Delaware | Lecturer Jo Jorgensen of South Carolina | Tradesman Howie Hawkins of New York | Activist Gloria La Riva of California | Businessman Rocky De La Fuente of California | Businessman Don Blankenship of West Virginia | Educator Brian Carroll of California | Entrepreneur Brock Pierce of Puerto Rico | Producer Kanye West of Wyoming |
| 2 | October 8, 2020 6:00 pm MDT | Denver, Colorado | Christina Tobin | A | A | A | P | P | A | P | P | P | A |
| 3 | October 24, 2020 6:00 pm MDT | Cheyenne, Wyoming | Christina Tobin | A | A | A | P | P | A | A | P | P | A |

### 2024
#### Primaries

On January 18, 2024, the Free & Equal Elections Foundation held its first ever Democratic Party primary debate streamed on Rumble while four candidates took the stage at Chelsea Television Studios in New York City, New York. Candidates were invited if they had ballot access in at least four states. Although eight candidates were invited, only Gabriel Cornejo, Frankie Lozada, Stephen Lyons, and Jason Palmer participated.
On February 29, 2024 Free & Equal held its first independent presidential debate also at Chelsea Television Studios featuring two Libertarian candidates (Chase Oliver and Lars Mapstead), two Green Party candidates (Jill Stein and Jasmine Sherman) (also nominee of The Unicorn Party), plus Party for Socialism and Liberation nominee Claudia De la Cruz. Independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr and Cornel West were invited but unable to attend.
These selections were made via multiple choice voting available on their website where members of the public could pick their top seven candidates across party lines and independents.
2024 Free & Equal debates :
| No. | Date & Time | Location | Moderators | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants | Invited participants |
| P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic |
| P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | President Joe Biden of Delaware | Entrepreneur Gabriel Cornejo of New York | Entrepreneur Frankie Lozada of New York | Plumber Stephen Lyons of California | Entrepreneur Jason Palmer of Maryland | Congressman Dean Phillips of Minnesota | Media host Cenk Uygur of California | Author Marianne Williamson of California |
| 1 | January 18, 2024 6:00 pm PDT | Los Angeles, California | Christina Tobin Kwame Jackson | A | P | P | P | P | A | A | A |
| P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | Libertarian | Libertarian | Green | Green | PSL | Independent | Independent |
| P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | P Participant. A Absent Invitee. | Businessman Lars Mapstead of California | Sales executive Chase Oliver of Georgia | Activist Jasmine Sherman of North Carolina | Doctor Jill Stein of Massachusetts | Activist Claudia De la Cruz of New York | Attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of California | Academic Cornel West of California |
| 2 | February 29, 2024 8:00 pm EDT | New York City, New York | Jason Palmer Caitlin Sinclair Christina Tobin | P | P | P | P | P | A | A |

#### Presidential debates

Free and Equal hosted a second debate on July 12, 2024, at FreedomFest in Las Vegas, Nevada moderated by the foundation's chair, Christina Tobin and congressman Thomas Massie.
Biden, Kennedy, Oliver, Stein, Randall Terry, Trump and West were invited to the debate, while Oliver, Stein, and Terry participated.
The Free and Equal hosted a third debate on October 23, 2024 in Los Angeles, California moderated by the foundation's chair, Christina Tobin and former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker.
Chase Oliver, Jill Stein, Randall Terry, Claudia De la Cruz, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, and Cornel West were invited. Oliver, Stein, and Terry participated again. Confirmed United We Stand artists: Loomis, Mahdieh Maleki, LeRome Swiss, Samuel J, Jon Nash, Shyalpa Rinpoche, Shylah Ray, Scott Page, Jose Muñoz, Franko Heke, Charlie Scott III/Chad Bishop, Colin Cantrell and Kaisi Berick.

## Electoral Reform Symposiums

Since 2009, Free & Equal has hosted electoral reform symposiums to unite intellectuals and experts to share and debate reforms to the U.S. electoral system. Past panelists and speakers include President of The League of Women Voters of Colorado Nancy Crow, Deputy Secretary of State of Colorado Suzanne Staiert, Founder of FairVote Rob Richie, Founder of Nexus Earth Colin Cantrell, Founder of Ballot Access News Richard Winger and more.

## United We Stand Tour

In 2014, Free & Equal launched United We Stand, a festival and tour uniting the younger generations with musicians, artists, and thought leaders to promote political and cultural change. Since its inception, the tour has made stops at Belasco Theater in Los Angeles in 2014 and 2015, University of Colorado Boulder in 2016, and Texas A&M University in 2018. The 2019 tour includes Indiana, Texas, Colorado, Oregon, and Tennessee.