I don't think it is fair not to have all the 24 democratic candidates as options.

[IrishEyes]

I know that is how it works but I disagree with it.

There are 24 candidates for the democratic nomination but 17 options to choose from. That leaves Bennett, Bullock, De Blasio, Gravel, Messam, Moulton and Ryan out. I also know that many of these candidates don't have a chance of getting the nomination but some of the ones that we can choose don't have a chance either. I don't think anyone else will be joining the primary race.

This is just my opinion.

[KPN]

1. And it also sounds like they can't organize their own debate amongst themselves. I understand the

need to limit the number of participants in order to have an effective debate, but prohibiting candidates from participating in non-DNC sanctioned debates when there is no other alternative is an over-reach.

On the other hand, what's to stop them since they aren't given a place on the stage anyway. It might actually help their candidacies to fly against the wind on this one.

[uawchild]

3. Maybe they signed an agreement with the DNC?

Didn't all declared candidates have to agree by the ground rules set out by the DNC for the primary season?

I think so. Going back on their word would be wrong.

[hlthe2b]

2. Do you mean on DU poll or the DNC debates? 24 is not even a drop in the bucket for all running.

Those are only the "notable" candidates.

In actuality,

As of June 3, 2019, there are 744 candidates who filed to run, including:[62]

253 Democratic candidates
95 Republican candidates
30 Libertarian candidates
14 Green candidates

https://ballotpedia.org/Presidential_candidates,_2020#Declared_presidential_candidates

[IrishEyes]

5. I meant the DU poll.

Yes, I am aware of the 744 candidates that have filed. I am talking about the declared candidates that have fulfilled the criteria here.

In addition to having filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for president in the Democratic Party primary in 2020 and having confirmed this by an official campaign announcement (while still campaigning actively as of today), the 24 major candidates have either: (a) held public office; (b) been included in a minimum of five independent national polls; or (c) received substantial media coverage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries

[brooklynite]

6. Has someone SAID they want to select a candidate who's not available?

There's a difference between listing all the "real" candidates, and listing the ones people wish to endorse. When I said I wanted to select Hickenlooper (not "why isn't Hickenlooper on the list?&quot he was added.

[caraher]

7. I thought the way it worked was to ask

I vaguely recall that if your preferred candidate is not listed you could ask (I'm not sure whom) to have them added. I don't think there's any effort to be exclusionary.