What time is the presidential debate on Tuesday? When and where to watch

NOTE: NBC 7 San Diego will offer live coverage of the debate as it begins at 6 p.m.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are gearing up for Tuesday’s presidential debate, setting up a showdown that reflects not just two separate visions for the country but two politicians who approach big moments very differently.

The debate will mark the first time the two candidates have faced off as the candidates have never met in person before.

The last presidential debate involved President Joe Biden and Trump on June 27. It quickly made headlines, largely for Biden's shaky performance, which eventually led him to end his campaign.

An estimated 51.3 million people watched Biden and Trump in June. But that was before many people were truly tuned into the election, and the potential rematch of the 2020 campaign was drawing little enthusiasm. Tuesday's debate will almost certainly draw a larger audience.

Here's a look at what to expect:

When is the 2024 presidential debate?

The debate is set to take place on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

It comes nearly three weeks after the conclusion of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, in which Harris formally accepted the party's nomination after a turbulent month kickstarted by Biden's withdrawal.

What time is the debate?

The debate is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and will last for an estimated 90 minutes. Coverage surrounding it, however, is expected to stretch much longer.

How to watch the presidential debate

NBC 7 will offer a live stream of the debate on our website and on air.

NBC News will broadcast the full debate live and offer extensive primetime coverage beginning at 5 p.m.

NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt and TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie will anchor a pre-debate primetime special starting at 5 p.m. on NBC, followed by a live presentation of the ABC News-hosted debate at 6 p.m. Holt and Guthrie will continue special coverage following the debate. 

Viewers can watch the debate live on their local NBC station or via the NBC 7 San Diego streaming channel.

Will mics be on or off? Full list of debate rules

The parameters now in place for the Sept. 10 debate are essentially the same as they were for the June debate between Trump and Biden.

According to ABC News, the candidates will stand behind lecterns, will not make opening statements and will not be allowed to bring notes during the 90-minute debate. David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the event.

“Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion,” the network noted.

A Harris campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss planning around the debate, said a candidate who repeatedly interrupts will receive a warning from a moderator, and both candidates' microphones may be unmuted if there is significant crosstalk so the audience can understand what's happening.

After a virtual coin flip held Tuesday and won by Trump, the GOP nominee opted to offer the final closing statement, while Harris chose the podium on the right side of viewers’ screens. There will be no audience, written notes or any topics or questions shared with campaigns or candidates in advance, the network said.

Here's the full list of rules:

• The debate will be 90 minutes with two commercial breaks
• The two seated moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be the only people asking questions
• A coin flip was held virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 3, to determine podium placement and order of closing statements; Trump won the coin toss and chose to select the order of statements. The former president will offer the last closing statement, and Harris selected the right podium position on screen (stage left)
• Candidates will be introduced by the moderators
• The candidates enter upon introduction from opposite sides of the stage; the incumbent party will be introduced first
• No opening statements; closing statements will be two minutes per candidate
• Candidates will stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate
• Props or prewritten notes are not allowed onstage
• No topics or questions will be shared in advance with campaigns or candidates
• Candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water
• Candidates will have two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications or responses
• Candidates' microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate
• Candidates will not be permitted to ask questions of each other
• Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks
• Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion
• There will be no audience in the room

Are other debates planned?

Though the September debate is currently the only debate currently planned between Harris and Trump, Harris' campaign said that a potential October debate was contingent on Trump attending the Sept. 10 debate.

In addition to the planned Harris-Trump debate on Sept. 10, vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance also agreed to a debate, scheduled to be hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1.

When is Election Day?

Voters will officially head to the polls just over a month later on Nov. 5 for Election Day, though early voting starts significantly earlier in many states.

In California, early voting sites will open on Oct. 7 and will run through Nov. 4. The final date to vote is on Election Day when all vote centers, official ballot drop boxes and the County of San Diego Registrar of Voters will be open extra hours, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.